THE BIRDS OF TRAVANCORE. 661 



Order MACROCHIRES. 

 Sub-order Cypseli. 

 Family Cypselidce. 

 Sub-family Cypselince. 

 (168) Cypselus melba. — The Alpine Swift. 

 Blanford, No. 1068 ; Jerdon, No. 98. 

 1 have only shot these birds on the High Range, where they may be 

 seen in numbers hawking insects through the smoke wherever the grass 

 is being burnt. 



(169) Cypselus affinis. — The Common Indian Swift. 

 Blanford, No. 1073 ; Jerdon, No. 100. 

 I have not come across this Swift myself, but my collectors found a 

 colony breeding in January 1903 in the registrar's office in North Parur 

 in North Travancore. They are looked upon as sacred, and permission 

 had to be obtained to take specimens with their nests and eggs. 

 (170) Tachornis batassiensis. — The Palm-Swift. 

 Blanford, No. 1075 ; Jerdon, No. 102. 

 This little Swift is very abundant in South Travancore, where the fan- 

 palm takes the place of the cocoanut. A few may be met with about 

 Trevandrum also. They utter a feeble twittering sound when on the 

 wing. 



" They breed from February to June. I have had the eggs brought 

 to me more than once. They are pure white and decidedly pointed, 

 being, like allegga belonging to this genus, semi-transparent.— T. F. B." 

 (171) Ch-Etura indica. — The Brown-necked Spine-tail. 

 Blanford, No. 1078 ; Jerdon, No. 96. 

 This fine Swift is not uncommon on the hills, where, however, they are 

 more often heard than seen, as their flight is so swift that you hear only 

 a rushing sound ordinarily, but at times they seem to play and the flight 

 is then moderated. I only once got a really good chance of getting 

 specimens in March 1903 ; I found them in numbers playing in this way 

 in open ground at Chimanji at an elevation of 4,000 feet and was able 

 to secure several. 



" Breeds in April and May as I observed one of them flying with a 

 straw in its mouth at the beginning of the former month, but whether it 

 breeds within Travancore or not I do not know as their power of flight 

 is so enormous. It seems however probable. — T. F. B." 



