134 BIRD ARCHITECTS 



four eggs of light cream spotted with various shades of 

 brown. 



The European Swallow (H. rustica) does not breed in 

 South Africa, being a migrant from Europe, arriving here 

 between September to November, and departing again 

 during March or April. It is blue above and whitish below. 

 The throat and forehead are of a rufous colour. 



Fig. 74. — Pearl-breasted Swallow on nest. 



The White-throated Swallow (H. albigidaris) is dark blue 

 above, except the forehead, which is reddish, below white 

 except a broad band of blue across the chest. It is at once 

 distinguishable from the European Swallow (which it rather 

 closely resembles) by its white throat. Length, 6| inches. 

 It is also a migrant, arriving about the same time as the 

 European Swallow — usually earlier — but breeds in South 



