CIPSELUS. 169 



Distribution. Resident throughout India and Ceylon, but locally 

 distributed ; very common in places, wanting in others, ascending 

 the Himalayas to about 6000 feet. To the westward this Swift is 

 found in Kashmir, the Punjab, and Sind, tln*oughout South- 

 western Asia, including Persia and Palestine, and in the greater 

 part of Africa ; but it is replaced east of the Bay of Bengal by the 

 next species. 



Habits, Sfc. The Indian Swift is highly gregarious, and is com- 

 monly seen about old buildings, being perhaps most common in 

 large towns ; it is also found haunting rocky cliffs, and it breeds 

 on chffs, houses, temples, tombs, &c. Its flight is very like that 

 of C. cqnis, but rather less powerful ; its call is similar, but even 

 shriller. Its nests vary in shape and materials ; they consist of 

 feathers, grass, or straw, with an occasional admixture of wool, 

 twine, or rags, cemented together with saliva. Generally several 

 nests are found clustered together. In some cases this Swift is 

 said to lay its eggs in deserted Swallows' nests, and this doubtless 

 accounts for some observers having supposed that it used mud in 

 building. The eggs are from 2 to 4, generally 3 in number, 

 white, not glossy as a rule, long ovals, measuring on an average 

 •87 by -57. The breeding-season lasts from February to August, 

 both months included, two broods being produced in the year. 

 The same nest is used by a pair several times. 



. * 1074. Cypselus subfurcatus. The Malay House-Swift. 



Cypselus subfurcatus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xviii, p. 807 (1849) ; id. 

 Cat. p. 85 ; Sclater, P. Z. S. I860, p. 602 ; Bhjth, Ibis, 1865, p. 41, 

 note; 1870, p. 161 ; Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xliii, pt. 2, p. 153 ; 

 Hume, S. F. ii, p. 524 ; xi, p. 30 ; id. Cat. no. 100 bis ; Hume Sf 

 Inglis, S. F. \, p. 17 ; Hume S)- Dav. S. F. vi, p. 47 ; Oates, B. B. 

 ii, p. 2. 



Micropus subfurcatus, Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 450. 



Very similar to C. affinis, but darker, being blackish brown 

 except on the white rump, chin, and throat ; head, and especially the 

 under tail-coverts, blackish brown like the other parts, only the 

 forehead paler; tail longer and distinctly subfurcate or eraar- 

 ginate. 



Bill black ; irides dark brown ; legs and feet varying from deep 

 purplish black to flesh-colour. 



Length about 5*75 inches ; tail 2 ; wing 5*5 ; tarsus '4 ; outer 

 rectrices '3 longer than middle pair. 



Distribution. Cachar and the Khasi hills, not rare ; Manipur, 

 and here and there throughout Burma, but very few localities are 

 recorded ; China as far north as Amoy, Cochin China, doubtless 

 Siam, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Java. This Swift 

 abounds in Penang. A single specimen from Chanda was found by 

 Hume in the Calcutta collection : this was doubtless a straggler. 



Habits, ^c. similar to those of C. affinis. Godwin- Austen found 

 this Swift breeding on cliffs near Shillong in June. 



