THE SWALLOWS 



Hirundo rustica Hirundo savignii 



European Common Chimney Swallow Egyptian 



Upper plumage from forehead to tail, deep metallic steel 

 blue-black ; forehead and throat, rich red-brown ; a band 

 of the blue borders the red on throat ; underparts creamy- 

 white ; beak very short and black ; eyes, dark brown. Length, 

 8 inches. 



The above description is of the Common or 

 Chimney Swallow, and if for the creamy -white 

 underparts, you read red-brown underparts, lengtli 

 7 inches, you have an accurate description of the 

 Egyptian or Oriental Chimney Swallow. As the 

 Egyptian Swallow and our own Common Swallow 

 are so similar in appearance and habits, both are 

 dealt with in this article. With so little difference 

 between the two species, it is not strange that 

 persons seem to find it hard to distinguish the one 

 from the other ; but really, if one watches at all 

 carefully, he will soon note if the individual bird 

 has the creamy-white underparts or no, as it is 

 seldom that any swallow flies long without that 

 sideway swerve which shows the wing lifted free 

 above the body. The first date I have noted as 



60 



