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THE GOLDEN BACKED 



SWALLOW, 

 (MOSQUE SWALLOW.) 



HIRUNDO NIPALENSIS, HODGSON. 



Description. — Length seven inches. 

 Bill black. Iris dark brown. Tarsus 

 dusky, claws black. 



Above blue black. Rump and and 

 lower back rich reddish golden yellow. 

 Sides of head and nape, rufous, 

 and finely striated with with 

 black. Breast and abdomen yellowish 

 gray, finely streaked with black. 

 Tail deeply forked. 



Distribution. — Mongolia, China, and 

 India. A summer visitant in the 

 Yangtse Valley, arriving a few days 

 later than the Eastern House Swallow. 



Nest and Eggs. — These Swallows are 

 more common in the country than in 

 town, and seem to prefer houses near 

 the hills as their nesting places. The 

 nest is oblong, something like a crook- 

 ed bottle with a large mouth, through 

 which it is entered. It is constructed 

 of mud mixed with some sticks and 

 straw. It is attached to the rafters, 

 or cemented to any convenient surface. 

 The eggs are similar to those of the 

 Eastern House Swallow. 



Family, Gantpephagidae, Cuckoo Shrikes, 

 or Minivets. 



Minivets have a short, stout, 

 moderately notched and hooked bill. 

 The nostrils are nearly concealed by 

 nasal feathers, though the rictal bristles 

 are but slightly developed. The wings 

 are long and pointed. The tail is 

 moderately long and of varying shape. 

 The plumage is soft and shrike-like, but 

 the feathers of the lower back and rump 

 have more or less stiffened shafts. 



