on Dr. Jerdon^s ' Birds of India* 337 



84. HiRUNDO RUFiCEPs, Licht. ; Gould, B, As. part xviii. pi. 

 Abyssinia (Riippell), and Khartum (Antinori). Mr. Gould, 



howeverj doubts the identity of the Indian and African birds, 

 remarking that "fine examples of both now before me appear to 

 differ too much to admit of their being considered examples of 

 one and the same species. The Gambian specimens are much 

 smaller, have a less amount of rufous colouring on the head, and 

 shorter tails." 



85. HiRUNDO ERYTHROPYGIA, SykcS. 



This is considerably smaller than H. daurica, Pallas, of China ; 

 the wings are respectively 5 in. and 4*25 in. to 4*75 in. in length. 

 Both races, however, may prove to occur in India. Dr. Bree 

 erroneously identifies H. rufula, Temm., with H. daurica. The 

 true H. rufula (which Mr. Tristram observed to be so abundant 

 in Palestine) is figured by MM. Jaubert and Barthelemy- 

 Lapommeraye (Rich. Orn. du Midi de la France, p. 308) . Mr. 

 Gould^s figure in the 'Birds of Europe' of his supposed H. 

 rufula represents, as is well known, H. senecjalensis. In the 

 British Museum I saw a specimen of true rufula from Afghani- 

 stan. According to Mr. Swinhoe, H. daurica is " represented 

 in Japan and Formosa by larger varieties.^' H. alpestris japonica 

 is figured in the ' Fauna Japonica ' (Aves, tab. xi.). Comparing 

 a specimen of H. striolata, T. and Schl. [nee Riippell), from the 

 island of Flores, which Mr. Wallace kindly lent me for the 

 purpose, with the figure cited, I could perceive no difference 

 whatever. On the label of that specimen was written — " This 

 species was seen in East Java, flying along the roads." 



86. HiRUNDO KLUVICOLA. 



The Swallow referred to, as described by Dr. A. Leith Adams 

 (P. Z. S. 1859, p. 176), is distinct, Mr. Gould possesses a 

 specimen, and designates it Lagenoplastes empusa. It certainly 

 accords nearly with the description of H. fluvicola ; but there is 

 no white on the tail-feathers, and the crown can scarcely be 

 called " dark rufous." It closely resembles the Australian L. 

 ariel, Gould (Handb. B. Austral, i. p. 113) ; but differs in the 

 rump being brown instead of white, and in the striation of the 

 fore-neck and breast being much more developed, the black 



