186 BIRDS OP TUNISIA 



I have a few examples of this Swallow from Tunis, obtained by 

 the naturalist Blanc, who informs me that the Arab bird-catchers 

 occasionally catch one or two of this species when netting the 

 common Swallow in spring ; for unfortunately this bird is not 

 considered sacred in Tunisia, as it apparently is in some Mahomedan 

 countries. Although evidently not common in Tunisia, the Red- 

 rumped Swallow is probably less rare there than it is generally 

 supposed to be, but escapes notice, owing to the difficulty of dis- 

 tinguishing it from the Common Swallow when on the wing. In 

 South Marocco H. rufula is a resident and common species, and I 

 have adult and young examples of it from Marocco City in the 

 interior, as well as from Eas-el-Ain on the sea-coast. 



In Sicily and in some parts of Continental Italy examples of this 

 Swallow are not unfrequently met with. North of the Alps, however, 

 the species rarely strays, although it is recorded as having once 

 occurred in Heligoland, and is said to have been occasionally met 

 with in France. 



The eggs of the present species, milike those of the Common 

 Swallow, are pure white. Measurements as in H. rmtica. 



CHELIDON URBICA (LiniiEeus). 

 HOUSE-MARTIN. 



Hirundo urbica, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 344 (1766) ; Malherbe, Cat. Bais. 



d'Ois. Alg., p. 17 (1846). 

 Chelidon urbica, Boic, his, 1822, p. 550; Sharpc, Cat. Birds Brit. 



Mils, x, p. 87 ; Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 71 (1867) ; Koeiiig, 



J. f. 0. 1888, p. 166; id. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 365; Whitaker, Ibis, 1894, 



p. 90 ; Erlangcr, J. f. 0. 1899, p. 509. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Kairouan, Central Tunisia. 



Above metallic blue-black, excepting the rump and upper tail-coverts, 

 ■which are white ; wings and tail brownish-black ; underparts entirely white ; 

 feet feathered down to the toes. 



Iris dark brown ; bill black. 



Total length 5-50 inches, wing 430, culmen -30, gape -55, tarsus -45. 



Adult female similar to the male, but rather smaller. 



