52 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



Genus MACROPTERYX, Swainson. 

 Bill short, small, and depressed, with the culmen curved 

 at the tip ; the nostrils basal, lateral, with the openings 

 placed oa the sides of the culmen, longitudinal, and large. 

 Wings lengthened, with the first and second quills nearly 

 equal, and longest. Tail very long, and much forked. Tarsi 

 shorter than the middle toe, thick, and naked. Toes long, 

 slender, and compressed ; armed with moderate, compressed, 

 and curved claws. 



78. Macropteryx Cristata. (Vieii.) Cuv., Voi. 2, 



p. 6-i ; L'Hirondelle Hupp^e, Le Vail., PI. 247. 



General colour grey ; darker on the wings and tail ; lighter 

 on the under sides. Wings and tail very long, the latter 

 deeply forked ; the two outermost feathers being very much 

 elongated. Head crested. 



Le Vaillant says he only met with a few of these birds in Namaqua- 

 land, and considers they were on their passage to some other part of 

 the country. He gives no account of their habits ; but from my re- 

 membrance of an allied species in Ceylon (Macropteryx Coronata), I 

 should iudgo that they were strictly arboreal, alighting habitually on 

 trees, flying thence in search of food, and returning to their perch 

 when tired. The introduction of this bird into the South African 

 Fauna is supposed to be another of Le Vaillant's errors. Though a 

 good species, it is not a native of South Africa, but of India. 



The Sub-Family, HIRUNDININ^, or Swallows, 



have the bill short, more or less depressed, with the gape 

 wide, and the sides gradually compressed towards the tip ; 

 the nostrils basal, lateral, and rounded ; the wings length- 

 ened, with the first quill the longest ; the tail more or less 

 forked ; the tarsi short, generally naked and scutellated ; 

 the toes usually long and slender, and the claws moderate 

 and slightly curved. 



Genus HIRUNDO, Linn. 



Bill short, much depressed, with the gape very wide, and 

 the sides gradually compressed to the tip ; the nostrils basal, 

 small, oblong, and partly covered by a membrane. Wings 

 lengthened, with the first quill longest. Tail more or less 

 forked, the outer feather of each side sometimes lengthened 

 much beyond the others. Tarsi shorter than the middle toe, 

 and scutellated. Toes long and slender, with the lateral 

 ones unequal ; the claws moderate, curved, and acute. 



