J U 11 N A L 



OP THE 



BOMBAY 



(yn?f ♦ 



t-^v 



No, j ( ] BOMBAY, JANUARY, 1889. [*>i. iv. 



84. 



NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 



By Lieut. II. E. Barnes. 



{Continued from poge 224.) 



-THE WIRE-TAILED SWALLOW. 



Hinindo fib' fern, Stevh. 

 The Wire-tailed Swallow occurs throughout the district, but is 

 nowhere numerically common ; it is a permanent resident, and breeds 

 from the end of January to the end of May and again from tho eud 

 of July to the beginning of October. The nest is deep, half saucer 

 shaped, and is composed of pallets of mud, well lined with s >fb 

 feathers, and is always placed in the vicinity of water, under the cor- 

 nices of bridges, under arches of culverts, against the sides of wells, 

 where there are projections under which they can build, in niches 

 in buildings overhanging water, or under projecting ledges of rock. 

 It is always placed against the side and a little below the roof or 

 projection, only just enough spice being left for the ingress and 

 egress of the bird. 



The eggs, three in number, are long narrow ovals in shape, a good 

 deal pointed towards one end ; they average - 72 inches in length by 

 about 0'52 in breadth ; in colour they are white, beautifully speckled, 

 spotted and blotched with various shades of reddish-brown. When 

 fresh and unblown the ground colour is a delicate pink owing to 

 the yolk showing through. They will not desert the nest even if 

 the eggs be taken, but will lay a second, and if this be taken, even 

 a third clutch in the same nest. 

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