Capt. G. E. Shelley on E(/?jpiian Ornithology. 47 



August^ and is found on its return passage in Lower Egypt in 

 March and April. 



39. Caprimulgus isabellinus, Temm. 



This bird is not very plentiful in Egypt. On my first visit I 

 observed several birds of this species at How flitting over the 

 water at sunset. This year I shot the only specimen I saw, in a 

 field of rough herbage opposite Aboofayda. 



Mr. S. S. Allen mentions (Ibis, 1864, p. 236) that he disco- 

 vered two distinct varieties, one much darker than the other, 

 and thinks it probable that C. europceus is also found here. 



40. Cypselus apus (L.). Common Swift. 



This is not the common Swift in Egypt, nor do I know of any 

 authentic instance of its having been captured in that country. 

 The C. apus of other Egyptian lists probably in eveiy instance 

 refers to the next species {C. pallidus), which is an extremely 

 abundant bird in the country, and is the only species to be met 

 with up to the end of April, C. apus, which is abundant 

 throughout Africa and Palestine, must, it appears to me, be 

 found in Egypt ; and for that reason I now include it in the 

 present list. 



41. Cypselus pallidus, G. E. Shelley. 



I named and described this species (Ibis, 1870, p. 445). It 

 has long been included in Egyptian lists as C. apus, from which 

 bird it differs in its rather smaller size, whiter throat and gene- 

 rally paler colour, which latter character suggested the name C. 

 pallidus as appropriate. I never met with any other Swift in 

 Egypt; but the present species is extremely abundant through- 

 out the country, arriving in February. It may be distinguished 

 from C. apus at a considerable distance ; and when I first shot it I 

 did not believe it to be identical with that bird. When I returned 

 I found that Mr. E. C. Taylor agreed in my views, which made 

 me particularly careful on revisiting Egypt to procure more spe- 

 cimens ; and I watched in vain among the many that I daily saw 

 for one dark specimen. In habits it appears to agree entirely 

 with C. apus. It was not, apparently, breeding up to tlie 3rd of 

 May, when I last shot it. Major Irby has procured this species 

 from Tangiers, where, he says, it arrives before C. apus. 



