BIEDS OF EGYPT. 125 



also in the colour of the underside, as in this species both 

 the grey breast-band and white throat are wanting. The chin 

 and throat down to below the breast are yellowish grey. 



" I have now a specimen lying before me of what I take to 

 be this species, brought from Abyssinia by Mr. Blanford, and 

 I cannot see that it is really distinct from Cofi/le paludicola. 

 It appears to be identical with a Natal specimen of the 

 latter in my own collection, with the exception of the length 

 of the wing, which is longer in my Natal bird. I cannot 

 perceive, even in the rather unsatisfactory diagnosis of Dr. 

 Cabanis, any real characters whereby the species may be dis- 

 tinguished from C. palustris." 



86. Chelidon urbica (Linn.). House-Martin. 



Our Common Martin may occasionally be met with both 

 in Egypt and Nubia, but does not appear to make its home 

 in those countries ; for on each occasion Avhen I observed it 

 during the mouths of April and May it seemed to have no 

 fixed abode, but to be on its way northward. This may 

 possibly be accounted for by the general absence of large 

 houses, against which we know this bird usually ^^likes to 

 place its nest. 



Rump and imderparts white ; wings and tail dark brown ; 

 remainder of the plumage steel-blue ; beak black ; irides dark 

 brown ; tarsi and feet covered with little white plumes. 



Entire length 5*5 inches; culmen 0*3; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 4-2 ; tarsus 0-4. 



Fig. Gould. B. of Eur. pi. 57. 



