HIRUNDO. 195 



are ; and though the difference may not be very apparent by the 

 description, in practice the two eggs could not well be confounded. 

 As a rule the markings are most numerous towards the large end, 

 where they have a tendency to form an ill-defined mottled cap, 

 and in many eggs they are almost entirely confined to it. 



In length the eggs vary from O65 to 0-8 inch, and in breadth 

 from 0-48 to O58 ; but the average struck from fifty eggs is 0*76 

 by 0*53 inch. 



822. Hirundo nepalensis, Hodgs. Hodysons Striated Swallow. 

 Lillia daurica (Lmn.\ Hume, Rough Draft N. fy E. no. 85 bis. 



This, the larger of our Indian Mosque-Swallows, although 

 visiting during the cold season the plains of India, breeds, so far 

 as I know, exclusively in the Himalayas I mean, of course, within 

 our limits. 



It is very familiar about the houses of most of our hill-stations, 

 but I think constructs its nest by preference under the eaves and 

 in the verandahs of empty houses and staging bungalows, which 

 are seldom in the hills occupied for many successive days in any 

 month. At the same time its nest is often to be seen under pro- 

 jecting ledges of cliffs, and occasionally, where these occur, in 

 ruined buildings. 



The breeding-time, according to my experience, is from April to 

 August ; but I have taken a dozen eggs in July to one in any other 

 month. The nests are very similar to those of its plains congener, 

 long and retort-shaped, very neatly built with clay pellets, as a 

 rule very \varmly lined first with grass or fibres and fine roots, and 

 then with various-sized feathers, of which there is often quite a 

 large bunch. They average, however, much larger than those of 

 H. erytliropyyia, and one I recently measured had the tubular 

 entrance 13 inches in length and the chamber more than 7 inches 

 in diameter exteriorly. 



Mr. Brooks remarks : " The nest is always a half-retort, fixed 

 to the underside of an overhanging rock or cave, generally with 

 only one entrance ; but a friend of mine, Mr. Home, gives me an 

 account of one fixed to one of the verandah rafters of a house 

 where the nest has two entrances. 



"In the hills about Almora I found the nest several times, 

 sometimes in open exposed places, at other times where the rocks 

 were overgrown with wood. The eggs resemble those I took in 

 the plains. The plains bird does not breed till the hot winds are 

 over, end of June or beginning of July ; but in the hills I found 

 eggs nearly hatched in May. Others at Binsur, Mr. Home in- 

 forms me, have only just laid in the middle of July, when I write. 

 The hill-bird breeding in the verandahs of houses, as well as in 

 eaves, accords with the habit of the Chinese bird, w hich Mr. Svvin- 

 hoe remarks ' breeds under the roof-tops.' " 



Captain Hutton says : " This is the common Swallow of the 



13* 



