172 CYPSELID^. 



Subfamily CHiETURIN^. 



This subfamily contains the Spiny-tailed Swifts, and the 

 Swiftlets which make the edible nests. 



Key to the Genera, 



Shafts of rectrices very stiff, the ends projecting 



beyond the webs Ch^tura, p. 172. 



Shafts of rectrices pliable, no projecting points. Collocalia, p. 175. 



Genus CH^TUEA, Stephens, 1825. 



The principal character of this genus is that all the tail-feathers 

 have rigid shafts, the ends of which project for some distance 

 beyond the web. The tarsi are naked as in other members of the 

 subfamily ; feet as in Cypsehis ; claws stout and much curved. 

 Wings very long and pointed, first quill longest. 



This genus of Swifts occurs throughout Eastern Asia, the Oriental 

 and Australian regions, Tropical Africa, and nearly the whole of 

 America. Four species occur within Indian limits. 



Key to the Sjjecies. 



a. Large, wing 7 to 8 inches. 



a'. Chin and throat white C. nudipes, p. 172. 



b'. Chin and throat brown C indica, p. 173. 



b. Small, wing 4 to 5 inches. 



c'. Rnmp and abdomen white; upper tail-coverts 



black C. sylvatica, p. 174. 



d' . linmp and upper tail-coverts light grey ; [p. 175. 



abdomen black C. leiicopyyialis, 



'1077. Chsetura nudipes. The White-necked Sinne-tail. 



Chajtura nudipes, Hodys. J. A. 8. B. v, p. 779 (1836) ; Deless. Voy. 



de rinde, Hist. Nat. p. 25, pi. 9 ; Hume, Cat. no. 97 ; id. S. F. 



ix, pp. 230, 286 ; Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 474. 

 Acauthylis fusca, apud Blyth, Cat. p. 84 ; nee Stephens. 

 Acanthylis nudipes, Horsf. S)- M. Cat. i, p. 111. 

 Acanthylis caudacuta, a2)ud Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 173 ; id. Ibis, 1871, 



p. 354 ; nee Lath. 

 Acanthylis ciris, apud Blyth, Ibis, 1866, p. 339; nee Pallas. 

 Ch^tvu-a gigantea, apud Hume 8f Cripps, S. F. xi, p. 30 ; nee Temm. 



SilU-any tiphi-timbo, Lepcha. 



Coloration. A small black preocular spot ; crown and sides of 

 head, nape, hind-neck, upper surface of wings and tail, sides of 

 rump and upper tail- coverts blackish brown, glossed with metallic 

 green ; inner webs of tertiaries partly or wholly white ; back 

 brown, whitish in the middle ; chin, throat, a band down the 



