2. coTixE. 99 



(Dresser). Total length 4*8 inches, culmen 0'3, wing 4-25, tail 2-1, 

 tarsus 0"45. 



Sexes alike in plumage. An adult female measures : — Total 

 length 5 inches, culmen 0*3, wing 4'3o, tail 2*1, tarsus 0"4. 



Young. Lighter browu than the adult, and distinguished by the 

 sandy-rufous or ashy-whitish edgings to the feathers of the back 

 and wings ; the throat is also slightly tinged with pale rufous ; 

 the breast-band is strongly pronounced, but has pale edges to the 

 feathers. 



These Light margins to the feathers seem to disappear somewhat 

 before the young birds leave this country, specimens kiUed in August 

 having the pale edgings much broader and more strongly charac- 

 terized than a young bird killed at the end of September. 



C. littoralis of Hemprich and Ehrenberg has been referred by 

 Mr. Dresser, and all recent authors, as a synonym of 0. riparia. 

 One of the tj-pical specimens is in Capt. Shelley's collection, and 

 it is evident from the style of plumage, even though the specimen 

 is quite immature, that it belongs to the O.-paludicola group of 

 the genus Cotile, even if the absence of the tuft of small plumes 

 behind the base of the tarsus were not sufficient to show that it 

 could not be the young of 0. riparia. 



Like other Swallows, the Sand-Martin moults while in its winter 

 quarters. Mr. Gurney has presented to the British Museum a 

 specimen shot by Mr. T. Ayres in the Transvaal on the 28th of 

 February. The body-plumage seems to have been completely 

 moulted, but some of the quills and tail-feathers are not entirely 

 renewed. From this specimen it appears that in the fresh-moulted 

 bird the inner secondaries are distinctly edged with white, and 

 remains of these white edges are seen in aU newly arrived birds in 

 Europe. 



American birds are not to be distinguished from Old- World 

 examples. 



Hub. The whole of the northern parts of the Old World in 

 summer, extending in winter to South-eastern Africa, North- 

 western India, and the Bm-mese countries. North America, ranging 

 as far south as Brazil in winter. 



a. Old- World Specimens. 



a. Ad. sk. Scotland (Sir JV. Jardine). India Museum. 



6. Juv. sk. Upware, Cambridgeshire, F.D.GodmanandO. Sal- 



Aug. 17, 1856 (O. &). vin, Esqrs. [P.]. 



c, d. (S ad. sk. Upware, April 29, 1856 Gould Collection. 



(O. S.). 



e. Ad. sk. Hampstead, Middlesex. F. D. GodmanandO.Sal- 



vin, Esqrs. [P.]. 



/. Juv. sk. Cookham, Berks, Aug. 28 R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.]. 



(R. B. S.). 



^, /i. (^ juv. sk. Romney Marsh, Aug. 1882 R. B. Sharne, Esq. [P.]. 



{R. B. S.). 



i. Ad.; A. cj juv. Romney Marsh, Sept. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.], 

 sk. 1882 (R. B. S.). 



