30 BULLETIN 98, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The breeding bird of Egypt, Hirundo rustica savignii, while very 

 different from Hirundo rustica rustica, is so close to the widely 

 separated Hirundo rustica tytleri that individual variations overlap 

 all the subspecific characters. Furthermore, Hirundo rustica tran- 

 sitiva, from Palestine, is a connecting form between Hirundo rustica 

 savignii and Hirundo rustica rustica. From the above statements it 

 is obvious that all six of these forms of Hirundo are subspecies of 

 Hirundo rustica. Their characters and ranges are as follows: x 



1. Hirundo rustica rustica Linnaeus. 



[Hirundo] rustica Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 191 (Europe). 



Subspecific characters. — Size large; metallic blackish jugular band 

 wide and usually not interrupted medially; posterior lower parts 

 whitish, more or less tinged with rufous or isabella color. 



Type locality. — Sweden (restricted by Hartert,1910 2 ). 



Geographic distribution. — Breeds throughout Europe, and west to 

 Iceland, east to western Siberia, Turkestan, and the Himalaya 

 Moun tarns; south to Baluchistan, Persia, Asia Minor, Tunis, Algeria, 

 and Morocco. Winters south to southern Africa, southern India, 

 the southern Malay Peninsula, the Philippine Islands, and the 

 Molucca Islands. Casual in Greenland. 



2. Hirundo rustica gutturalis Scopoli. 



Hirundo gutturalis Scopoli, Del Flor. et Faun. Insubr., pt. 2, 1786, p. 96 ("In 

 Nova Guiana, p. 118, Tab. 76"). 



Subspecific characters. — Similar to Hirundo rustica rustica, but 

 much smaller; blackish jugular band usually divided by the chestnut 

 of throat; posterior lower surface averaging more whitish. 



Type-locality. — Antigua, Panay Island, Philippine Islands. 



Geographic distribution. — Breeds in northeastern Asia, north to 

 the Siberian provinces of Amur, Transbaikalia, and Irkutsk; west to 

 Irkutsk and northern China; south to northern China and to Korea; 

 and east to Japan. Winters south to southern India, the Malay 

 Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, the Molucca Islands, New Guinea, and 

 occasionally northern Australia. 



3. Hirundo rustica tytleri Jerdon. 



Hirundo Tytleri Jerdon, Birds of India, vol. 3, 1864, p. 870 (Dacca, Bengal 

 India). 



Subspecific characters. — Similar to Hirundo rustica gutturalis, but 

 rather larger; posterior lower parts rufous chestnut instead of 

 usually whitish; white spots on the rectrices, together with the 

 concealed white subterminal portions of the dark feathers of the 

 upper surface, more or less tinged with buff, instead of practically 

 pure white. 



Type-locality. — Dacca, Bengal, India. 



1 For the synonymy of these birds, see Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. 10, 1885, pp. 128-140; and 

 Hart3rt, Vogel palaarctischen Fauna, vol. 1, 1910, pp. 800-804. 



2 Vogel palaarctischen Fauna, vol. 1, 1910, p. 800. 



