WHITE-RUiMPED SWALLO^V. 575 



head, the hind-neck, the anterior half of the back and the 

 scapulars, with some of the small wing-coverts, are glossy 

 steel-blue, with greenish and purplish reflections ; the hind 

 part of the back is white, with the shafts dusky, and all the 

 lower parts are white excepting a transverse dusky mark an- 

 terior to the wings ; the shafts of the lower tail-coverts, and the 

 lower wing-coverts, which are greyish-brown edged with brown- 

 ish-white. The wings, tail, and upper tail-coverts are choco- 

 late brown, slightly glossed with greenish ; the inner secon- 

 daries narrowly tipped with white. The concealed part of 

 the plumage is dull greyish-blue, but the feathers of the hind- 

 neck and fore part of the back have a white patch towards 

 the end. 



Length to end of tail 5^^ inches ; extent of wings 12 ; wing 

 from flexure 4/^ ; tail, middle feathers ly^^, lateral 2/^ ; bill 

 along the back ^h ; along the edge of lower mandible j% ; 

 tarsus |*j ; hind toe /g, its claw p^ '•> second toe -j^, its claw 

 j% ; third toe j%, its claw j^ ; fourth toe ^^j, its claw j^. 



Female. — The female cannot be distinguished from the male 

 unless by dissection, the size, proportions, and colours being 

 similar in both. 



Length to end of tail 5^^% inches ; extent of wings 12. 



Variations. — Adult individuals very seldom exhibit any re- 

 markable differences, although, as in the preceding species, 

 accidental changes to white or cream-colour sometimes occur. 



Changes of Plumage. — This species arrives in full plumage, 

 and departs before moulting. The tints merely fade a little 

 as the season advances. 



Habits. — The AVhite-rumped Swallow arrives generally a 

 few days later than the Red-fronted, but sometimes the two 

 species make their appearance together. In the south of Eng- 

 land the period of its arrival varies from the 10th to the 20th 

 of April ; and in the south of Scotland, from the 25th of that 

 month to the 5th of May. It is more widely dispersed than 



