34 Col. R. Meinertzhagpn on Birds from [Ibis, 



than a scries of twelve from eastern Persia antl Baluchistan, 

 with one exception, a bird from Helouan which I obtained 

 in February, which is as dark as any from eastern Persia. 

 But my other birds from Helouan are all pale. 



Birds from Palestine are somewhat intermediate in colour 

 between Egyptian and eastern Persian birds. 



Two birds collected by Witherby from south-west Persia 

 are very pale, and appear to lie in worn plumage, but are no 

 paler than March birds from Egypt. 



Zedlitz (J. f. 0. 1910, p. 786) recognizes Riparia o. ohsoleta 

 (Cab.) from Persia, the hills of Palestine and northern 

 Arabia, Sinai, and the Egyptian hills; R. a. reicJtenoici Zedl. 

 from the desert regions of Egypt and east to Palestine ; 

 R. 0. arahica Reichw. from southern Arabia, and R. o. 

 rufgula from southern Ab}' ssinia and eastern Africa. 



Hartert (Vog. pal. Faun. p. 81G) unites birds from eastern 

 Persia, Palestine, Arabia, and Egypt under R. o. ohsoleta. 



I am, however, inclined to think there is a pale race in 

 the desert regions of Palestine, northern Arabia, and Egypt, 

 and that this race must be called R. o. ohsoleta, and that the 

 name jmllida of Hume must apply to Baluchistan and eastern 

 Persian birds. 



Birds from Aden, north Somaliland, and Socotra are 

 darker than Egyptian or Sinai birds and are probably 

 arahica, but I have not examined topo-typical specimens. 



The wiugs of 11 birds from E. Persia measure 117-123 mm, 



measure 114-121 mm. 

 measure 117-122 mm. 

 measure 113-115 mm. 



Apus melba (L.). 



I have recently collected a series of ten Alpine Swifts from 

 Palestine and Crete. They are all of a paler and greyer 

 colour above than those breeding elsewhere in southern 

 Europe and the Himalayas. They agree more with breeding 

 birds from northern Africa which have been separated by 



