340 Mr. H. Seebolim on the Birds of Natal <SfC. 



hemisphere; and have only comparatively recently (probably 

 in post-glacial times) emigrated to the Palsearctic and Ne- 

 arctic Regions. This theory is confirmed by a glance at their 

 geographical distribution. The genus Hirundo, as restricted 

 by Sharpe in the ' Catalogue of Birds/ contains 27 species, 

 of which 16 breed only in the Ethiopian Region, 2 in both 

 the Ethiopian and Oriental Regions, 2 only in the Oriental 

 Region, 1 in both the Oriental and Palsearctic Regions, 1 

 in both the Oriental and Australian Regions, 2 only in the 

 Australian Region, 2 only in the Neotropical Region, and 

 the remaining 1 in the Nearctic, Palaearctic, and Ethio- 

 pian Regions. Of the 11 genera recognized by the same 

 author, Hirundo is the only one which is cosmopolitan in its 

 range ; 2 are confined to the Ethiopian, and 1 to each of the 

 Australian and Neotropical Regions, whilst no genus is con- 

 fined to the Palsearctic or Nearctic Regions. The evidence 

 that the Swallows had an Antarctic origin seems to be con- 

 clusive. 



By far the most interesting of the Swallows that came 

 under my notice in Natal was the Blue Swallow, Hirundo 

 atroccerulea. A few pairs of these charming little birds were 

 almost always to be seen, hawking diligently for flies over a 

 small field which led from the garden of my friend Mr. 

 Mark Hutchinson^s house down to a little stream that 

 flowed at the foot of the bush. Graham Hutchinson told me 

 that they were seldom seen in the open veldt, and always 

 chose sheltered nooks near bush and water. Early in the 

 morning they often used to perch on the wire fence that 

 enclosed the garden. He told me that they were never seen 

 in winter. They associated freely with the other species, but 

 were often alone. 



Little or nothing has been written of the migrations of 

 birds in the southern hemisphere, but it is almost as im- 

 portant a fact in the history of the birds of Natal as in that 

 of British birds, although the dift'erence in the geographical 

 relations of the two countries modifies the details in many 

 ways. It is a remarkable fact that whilst there are very 

 many birds breeding in the northern hemisphere and winter- 



