386 Mr. W. H. Simpson on some of the Birds 



from the numerous ants' nests, to which in outward appear- 

 ance it bears a strong resemblance. It has generally a southern 

 aspect. The outside appears to be stuck over with the wings of 

 insects worked up along with the mud composing it, which 

 becomes very hard after exposure. Hirundo rufula is still more 

 singular in its niditication, always fixing its nest under a cave or 

 projecting slab of rock. In the Little Klissoura and throughout 

 the precipices of Aracynthus there are plenty of these caves, in 

 former times a convenient refuge for the Klephts, as they now 

 are for the shepherds tending their flocks during the winter 

 months. This eccentric Swallow, not satisfied with having a 

 good dry cave all to himself, must needs construct a long passage 

 to his nest, thus giving it the shape of a retort with the upper 

 part cut away, and the remaining portion glued underneath a 

 flat surface. The entrance is narrow, but the passage gradually 

 widens, till it finally opens into a sort of chamber very warmly 

 lined with feathers : here the little fellow and his mate are sure 

 to be most snugly tucked in just after sundown, when they can't 

 see to catch any more insects. Escape therefore is impossible 

 when a ruthless ornithologist wishes to capture the pair for the 

 sake of identifying their eggs. No more than one pair ever 

 seem to occupy a cave, though the remains of previous nests 

 could occasionally be traced on the roofs. The same pair appear 

 to return year after year, and their nest, unless injured by shep- 

 herd boys during the winter, will merely require a little touching 

 up to render it again. inhabitable. The fact of the same birds 

 returning was proved by these caves being untenanted, where 

 the pair had been captured during the preceding year. Several 

 nests with eggs were found towards the end of iMay and begin- 

 ning of June 1859. Four seems about the complement : they 

 are quite white, much resembling eggs oiH.urbica, which could 

 be well passed off for them in collections. 



A curious circumstance in connexion with one of these nests 

 occurred to Dr. Kriiper and myself in a cave at the entrance to 

 the Little Klissoura. Fastened to the roof of this cave (which 

 was on the face of a low cliff", and not easy of access) we espied a 

 very good nest of Hirundo rufula, upon which Dr. Kriiper pro- 

 ceeded to operate with a penknife, whilst I placed my hand over 



