CHELIDON 177 



some eggs the markings are so closely set as to leave scarcely any 

 of the ground-colour visible, and to give the whole egg a reddish- 

 brown or dingy brown mottled appearance, while in a few the 

 small end of the egg is almost entirely devoid of markings. 



In length these eggs vary from O68 to O86, and in breadth 

 from 0-6 to O76; but the average of twenty-two eggs is 0-79 by 

 0-63 nearly. 



Family HIRUNDINID^E. 



804. Chelidon urbica (Linn.). The Martin. 



Chelidon urbica (Linn.}, Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 166; Hume, Cat. 

 no. 92. 



Major M. F. Coussniaker writes from Bangalore regarding this 

 Martin : " I took the nest of this bird on May 1, in the Shemo- 

 gah Districts, Mysore. The spot selected by this colony was a 

 large overhanging rock in the bed of the River Tunga, about three 

 miles from Sheinogah; they appear to have bred in the same 

 place for many years, as the under surface of the rock was covered 

 with old nests. The nests I got were so broken that I could 

 take no reliable measurements, but I shah 1 endeavour to get some 

 more specimens next year. The eggs were mostly hard-set, and 

 the number varied from two to four in each nest. They were 

 pinky white before being blown, and measured '7 X '5. 



" I believe that this species has not been found breeding in India 

 before. Had I known this at the time I would have made greater 

 exertions to get a perfect nest, but the rock is very difficult to get 

 at owing to its shape and position." 



The eggs are moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed and 

 compressed towards the small end ; in some cases decidedly pyri- 

 form. The shell is fine and compact, but with no perceptible 

 gloss, and of course pure white, without any markings. Two eggs 

 measured O75 in length by 0'53 and 0*55 in breadth. 



805. Chelidon kashmirensis, G-ould. The Kashmir Martin. 



Chelidon cashmiriensis, Goidd, Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 167; Hume, 

 Rough Draft N. E. no. 93. 



This Martin breeds only in the interior of the Himalayas. It 

 lays, as far as I know, only in April and May, but is said to have 

 a second brood during the rains. Long ago Sir E. C. Buck wrote to 

 me that " there is a large colony of these birds about 1| to 2 miles 

 from the Muttyana Dak Bungalow on the old road to JNarkunda ; 

 their nests cover the roof of hollo\vs in the rock about 15 to 20 

 feet from, the ground. Nest of nmd, shallow, cup-shaped, with 



YOL. II. 12 



