148 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Feet and claws black. Wing 165-178. Tarsus lo-ii. Bill 5-6. 

 Fork of tail about 32. 



Breeds. — All Europe, Russia east to Urals ; N.W. Africa 

 (Morocco to Tripoli) ; Palestine. Migrates ; occurs Egypt and 

 Canaries on passage. Winters tropical and S. Africa. Replaced 

 in N. Asia by a browner race ("pekinensis"). 



" M. apus kollibayi" (Tschusi) (wing averages longer and 

 throat whiter than in "apus") has been described from S. 

 Dalmatia ; and " M. apus carlo (Kollibay) (more white on throat) 

 has been described from Tunisia, but both these forms are of 

 very doubtful validity. 



M. apus marwitzi (Reichenow). Resembles "pekinensis," 

 browner than "apus" ; forehead darker than in former race. 



Breeds. — S. Caucasus and Asia Minor. Occurs Egypt and 

 Palestine on passage. Has been found in S.W. Africa in winter. 



Micropus murinus murinus (Brehm). Pallid Swift. 



(^ $ Paler than "apus," more brown grey, with little or no 

 gloss, forehead paler and white on throat more extensive ; ist 

 primary generally equal to 2nd, sometimes even longer, occasion- 

 ally a little shorter. Bill black. Feet purplish brown. 



Breeds. — Egypt, through Persia to N.W. India. Resident in 

 Egypt. 



M. murinus brehmorum (Hartert). Darker brown than in 

 "murinus." Wing 164-175 (H.). Bill 6. Fork of tail about 26. 



Breeds. — Madeira, Canaries, Morocco, Algeria, Tunis. Winters 

 in South Africa. Rare visitor to Malta and Italy. 



M. murinus illyricus (Tschusi). Like "brehmorum" but 

 darker and with a greenish gloss, but much less so than in "apus." 



Breeds. — Dalmatia, Croatian Coast, Cyprus, Balearic Islands, 

 S. France, S. Spain (very local). Occurs Canaries on passage. 



Micropus unicolor unicolor (Jardine). 



$ ? Resembles "apus" in wing formula, but is smaller and 

 darker, throat greyer ; occasionally has faint pale margins on 

 underparts irrespective of season. Bill black. Wing 150-155. 

 Tail deeply forked (about 30 m.m.) (H.). 



Breeds. — Madeira, Canaries (W. Group and Fuerteventura). 

 Chiefly migratory ; some may winter. 



