. A FES. 6 1 



whole Jordan valley, it is numerous during winter, when not an individual 

 of the other species is to be seen. In spring the numbers of this swallow 

 rapidly increase, and from the middle of March they become distributed 

 over the whole country, when along with them appears the common 

 species. In the higher ground the latter predominates; in the lower, 

 certainly this is the most numerous. 



The only other country inhabited by the Oriental Swallow is Egypt, 

 where also it is sedentary. It is not met with south of Egypt, nor in 

 Syria north of the Lebanon. In its habits and architecture it closely 

 resembles the Common Swallow, but never interbreeds with it. 



I02. Hinindo iiisiica. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 343. The Swallow. 

 Heb. "IITJ {generic). Arab, y^^-^, Siniuiiu. 



From the end of March the Swallow swarms all over the country. In 

 winter not a solitary individual is to be seen. 



The summer range of the Swallow is over nearly the whole northern 

 Old World, though most naturalists would separate, I think rightly, the 

 birds from Eastern Asia. In winter it seems to be scattered over the 

 whole of Africa as far as the Cape. 



103. Hiriindo riifula. Temm. Man. d'Orn. iii., p. 29S. Red- 

 rumped Swallow. 



This handsome Swallow returns to Palestine at the end of March, 

 plentiful everywhere, but most numerous in the lower and warmer parts 

 of the country. The nest is a remarkable structure, attached to the flat 

 surface of the under side of the roof of a cave or vault, with a long neck a 

 foot or more in length, like a retort, and large bulb, larger than a Thrush's 

 nest. The eggs are pure white. 



The Red-rumped Swallow is ordinarily only found in South-eastern 

 Europe bordering on the Mediterranean, in Asia Minor, and Syria, and 

 also rarely in North-east Africa. 



East of the Caspian it is represented by H. daurica, and in India by 

 H. eryihropygia and other species. 



