COTILE. 271 



procured the present species. I have frequently seen large flocks 

 of a Martin in Southern Pegu, but have failed to secure a specimen ; 

 they were most probably of this species. 



The Siberian Martin summers in Northern and Central Asia, 

 and visits Burma in the winter months. Colonel Tickell's specimen 

 of this bird was obtained at Moulmein. 



807. Chelidon nepalensis. Hodgson's Martin. 



Delichon nepalensis, Hodgs., Moore, P. Z. S. 1854, p. 104, pi. lxiii ; 



Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, p. 384 ; Hume, Cat. no. 94 ; id. S. F. xi, p. 29. 



Chelidon nepalensis (Hodgs.), Jerd. B. I. i, p. 168 ; Blanf. J. A. 



S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 156 ; Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xlv, pt. ii, 



pp. 08, 193 ; xlvii, pt. ii, p. 13; Sharpe, Cat. B. M, x, p. 95. 



The Little Himalayan Martin, Jerd. 



Coloration. Rump white, the feathers delicately fringed with 

 black ; with this exception the whole upper plumage is glossy 

 bluish black ; wings and tail dull black, some of the coverts 

 margined and tipped with glossy bluish black ; lores and sides of 

 the head deep black with a very slight gloss ; chin and throat 

 black speckled with white ; fore neck, breast, abdomen, vent, and 

 legs white ; under tail-coverts, axillaries, and under wing-coverts 

 deep black. 



Some birds, probably the young, have the point of the chin black, 

 the remainder of the chin and the Avhole throat white ; and in 

 these birds the underparts are not quite so pure a white as in 

 those with black throats. 



Bill brown, paler at gape ; legs and toes fleshy white. 



Length about 4*5 ; tail 1-8 ; wing 37 ; tarsus -45 ; bill from 

 gape *4 ; tail quite square at tip. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from INaini Tal to the Daphla hills in 

 Assam, and thence southwards through the hill-ranges to Manipur. 

 This Martin appears to ascend the Himalayas up to at least 8000 

 feet, and it also appears to be found on those mountains throughout 

 the year, as I have seen specimens procured in Sikhim in every 

 month from June to January. It probably visits the lower valleys 

 and plains inthe winter months only. 



Genus COTILE, Boie, 1822. 



The genus Cotile comprises the Sand-Martins, which frequent 

 large rivers and construct their nests in holes excavated in the 

 banks. The eggs are white. 



] n Cotile the legs and toes are bare except in C. riparia, which 

 has a small tuft of feathers at the base of the tarsus and behind it. 

 The tail is forked to a very small extent, and the colour of the 

 plumage is extremely plain and dull. The tail-feathers are not 

 spotted with white as iu the next genus. The Sand-Martins are 

 highly gregarious and breed in large societies. 



