hirundinin^. 167 



The English House Martin. 



Descr. — Above, glossy blue black ; wing and tail dull black ; 

 rump, and entire under parts, pure white ; under parts of shoulders 

 and axillaries greyish white. 



Length 5^ inches ; extent 12 ; wing iy'^, slightly exceeding the 

 tail ; tail 2^*^ : legs fleshy white. 



I have only found the English House Martin in small numbers 

 in one locality on the Neilgherries, near their south slope, about 

 5,000 feet high, on a cultivated ridge of the hills, in the month of 

 March. It has not been recorded from any other locality in India, 

 but is known as an inhabitant of Northern Asia, as well as of Europe 

 and Africa. I am not aware if it breeds on the Neilgherries. In 

 Europe, as is well known, it builds a globular nest of mud, with 

 an opening near the top. 



93. Cheiidon Cashmiriensis, Gould. 



p. Z. S. 1858, p. 356. Adams I c. p. 494. 



The Cashmere House Martin. 



Descr. — Above, black with steel blue reflections ; tail brownish 

 black ; throat, under surface, and rump, pure white, brownish on 

 the flanks ; axillaries, and beneath the shoulder, dark brown. 



Length 4f inch ; wing 3|, exceeds the tail more them half an 

 inch ; tail 2. 



This House Martin is abundant in Cashmere on the rocky banks 

 of rivers, where it was procured by Dr. Adams. It probably extends 

 throughout the Himalayas, for I procured a specimen at Darjeeling. 

 It is very similar to the English bird, but smaller, and differing in 

 the brown axillaries, and in the tail being shorter and less forked. 

 It is most probably the species indicated by Pallas as a variety of 

 H. urbica^ from Daouria. Llis measurements quite correspond with 

 those of our bird. He describes the nest as placed in the corners of 

 houses, made of mud, mixed with grass, and well lined with horse- 

 hair and wool, with a large opening near the top. The male bird 

 roosts in the nest with his mate, and sings there. During flight the 

 voice is like that if H. riparia. They arrive in Daouria from the 

 south, in April. 



