148 HIRUNDINIDiE. 



as they approach the centre of the tail, until in the two next to the 

 central feathers it is reduced to a small oval spot ; entire under 

 surface with the under wing- and tail-coverts pure white ; bill and 

 feet black. Total length 4-8 inches ; of bill from front 0-3, from 

 gape 0-45 ; wing 4, tail 1-8, tarsus 0-3, middle toe 0-4, hind toe 

 0-2, lateral toe 0-2. 

 Hah. West Africa. 



10. Hirundo dimidiata. 



Hirundo dimidiata, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Akad. Fork. 1850, p. 107 ; 



Hartl. Ibis, 1862, p. 144 ; Lmjard, B. S. Afr. p. 56 (1867) ; id. 



Ibis, 1869, p. 72 ; Grmj, Hand-l. B. i. p. 71, no. 8.32 (1869) ; Sharpe, 



P. Z. S. 1870, p. 310; id. Cat Afr. B. p. 46, no. 434 (1871) ; 



Gurney in Andeiss. B. Dam. Ld. p. 52 (1872) ; Ay res, Ibis, 1878, 



p. 285, 1879, p. 291 ; Shelled/, Ibis, 1882, p. 259 ; Sharpe, ed. 



Bayard's B. S. Afr. p. 366 (1883) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1884, p. 227. 

 Hirundo scapularis, Cass. Proc. Philad. Acad. pi. 12 (1850) ; id. Cat. 



Sirund. Mus. Philad. Acad. p. 2 (1853). 

 Hemicecrops dimidiata, Bp. Rivist. Contemp., Torino, 1857, p. 4. 

 Hemicecrops scapularis, Bp. t. c. p. 4. 

 Hirundo leucosoma (nee Stv.), Grill, Zool. Antechn. p. 36 (1858). 



Adult. Above purplish blue ; quills brownish black, grey on the 

 inner web, the innermost of the greater wing-coverts white, forming 

 a white spot, which, however, is generally concealed by the scapu- 

 laries ; occasionally in very old birds a small white spot also appears 

 on the innermost secondaries ; tail brownish black, without any 

 spots, glossed on the upper surface with dark blue, with a faint 

 greenish lustre ; entire under surface silky white, having in some 

 specimens a certain woolly appearance, greyish in certain lights ; on 

 each side of the upper part of the breast a patch of dark-blue 

 feathers : " bill and feet black ; iris dark brown " {Andersson). Total 

 length 5'5 inches, wing 4-2, tail 2-6, tarsus 0'4. 



Young. Not nearly so bright above, and more distinctly tinged 

 with greenish ; the white spot on the greater wing-coverts either 

 absent altogether, or, when present, of a dull greyish colour and 

 very little developed. 



Hah. South Africa. 



a. 5 fid. sk. South Africa (Anderssott). Sharpe Collection. 



6. Ad. ; c. Juv. sk. South Africa (Surtees). Sharpe Collection. 



d. Ad. sk. Near Grahamstown (Layard). Sharpe Collection. 



11. Hirundo nigrita. 



Hirundo nigrita. Gray, Gen. B. i. pi. 40 (1845) ; id. Cat. Fissir. 

 Brit. Mus. p. 27 (1848) ; Allen 8f Thorns. Exped. Niger, ii. p. 498 

 (1848) ; Cass. Cat. Ilirund. Mus. Philad. Acad. p. 3 (1853) ; Hartl. 

 J.f. O. 1856, p. 360; Cass. Proc. Phi/ad. Acad. 1859, p. 33; Du 



