356 
Fam. HIRUNDINIDZ. 
342. PsaLIDOPROCNE HOLOMELENA. Black Saw-winged Swallow. 
Atticora holomelas, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 57. 
The Swallows of the world may be divided into two great groups, 
those with smooth wings and those with serrated wings. The latter 
have the outer edges of the first primary minutely jagged like the 
teeth of a very fine saw, and one species of these Swallows is found 
in South Africa, viz., the present bird. 
This little Swallow first fell under our notice on the “ Keurboom’s 
River,’ Knysna district, where we saw it apparently breeding in 
holes in the banks, but were unable to investigate its doings more 
closely. We found it abundantly in the forest, hawking after flies 
over pools, frequently dipping into the water, and perching on the 
overhanging boughs in clusters of six or eight, to dry themselves. 
Their habit of perching is noted by Mr. Cairncross, who writes : 
«‘This bird flies about very much like a bat (this resemblance also 
occurred to us when we saw it), amongst thick forests, and is 
generally more visible in rainy, heavy weather; but I have never 
seen or heard of their breeding here (Swellendam). They remain 
here after the winter has set in. Sometimes I have seen them roost 
on trees at the bottom of my garden, where I shot the specimen 
sent.” 
Mr. L. C. Layard noticed its arrival at Grootevadersbosch on the 
5th of September, 1869. It is found throughout the wooded dis- 
tricts of the eastern province. We saw it near Grahamstown, the 
Kowie, Fish River bush, &c., and Lieut. Herbert Trevelyan has 
procured it in the Peri bush near Kingwilliamstown. Mr. Thomas 
Ayres writes from Natal:—‘This species is common here all the 
year round, but I think not immediately on the coast. They are 
generally to be seen two or three together, searching for insects, 
about the bushy valleys, and occasionally, though not often, alighting 
to rest on some dead bough. Their food consists of minute beetles 
and other insects.” Captain Shelley says that he found it very 
plentiful about Pinetown in Natal, and occasionally met with it near 
Durban. He observes :—“‘It is a woodland bird, usually seen in 
small flocks, often perching on boughs on the shady side of large 
trees. They appear to avoid the glare of the mid-day sun, feeding 
/ 
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