162 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Length 4^ inches ; wing 3^ ; tail If. 



This, says Mr. Blyth, is one of the group of Republican Swallows, 

 Petrochelidon of Bonaparte, with similar habits to H. fulva of 

 North America. I found it first on rivers in Bundelkund, the Sonar, 

 and the Ken, breeding in company on the rocky cliffs overhanging 

 the rivers. I afterwards found it in one or two localities, not very 

 far from Saugor ; on the Nerbudda, near Jubbulpore ; and also on 

 the VVurdah river, not far from Chanda. It has hitherto, I believe, 

 not been found by any other observer ; and is, doubtless, both 

 rare and local in its haunts, and occurs only in small numbers. 

 The Swallow described by Adams, in his Birds of Cashmere and 

 Ladakh, No. 58, P. Z. S., 1859, 176, is either this species or a 

 very closely allied one. The only essential difference in the 

 description, and that is perhaps an omission, is that the white 

 spots on the tail-feathers are not alluded to. 



Probably fifty or sixty nests, all crowded closely together, 

 were seen by me in several of their breeding spots ; the nests 

 being retort-shaped, like the last. The birds were busy breeding 

 at the time I first discovered them, towards the end of April and 

 May, but I could not get at the nests to procure the eggs. 



The only other Swallow, not previously alluded to, known to the 

 Indian Fauna, is H. hyperythra, Layard, confined, as far as we 

 know, to Ceylon, very like H. Daurica, but entirely rufous beneath. 

 Many species are peculiar to Africa, two or three of which, 

 H. cahirica, H. rufula, and H. senegalensis, occasionally wander to 

 the south of Europe; and only two or three are known in America. 



Gen. Cottle, Boie — Martins. 



Char. — Bill weak, depressed, very broad at base, smaller than in 

 Hirundo, barely hooked at the tip ; wings somewhat longer, 1st 

 quill longest, longer than the tail ; tail, even or slightly notched ; 

 tarsus slightly longer, toes weaker, outer toe proportionally longer, 

 claws lengthened ; plumage sombre, and barely glossed. 



The Martins may be sub-divided both by colour and nidification 

 into two very distinct groups, the Sand Martins, and the Crag 

 Martins. 



