HIRUNDINID^. 51 



Hirundo capensis, Layard's Cat. No. 81. 



Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 410. 



Hirundo cucullata, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 795. 



Sharpe, in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 318. 



Sharpe's Cat. No. 440. 



This is not a very common Swallow in Damara Land, 

 where it usually arrives later than Hirundo dimidiata ; 

 it courts the society and neighbourhood of man, and, 

 where permitted, will unhesitatingly enter his dwellings 

 and construct its nest and rear its young in the midst of 

 the household duties of the family. The nest is built of 

 clay, and at first resembles in shape that of Hirundo 

 rustica ; but gradually the hollow bowl is narrowed into 

 a tube of some extent. If the nest be destroyed at this 

 stage, the poor bird at once sets about repairing the 

 damage, but generally contents itself with rebuilding 

 the dome, to which a narrow entrance is added. 



1 have known a pair of these Swallows reconstruct 

 their nest three times in one season, the female deposit- 

 ing a nearly full complement of eggs on each occasion. 

 At the Cape this species commences its incubation 

 towards the latter end of September or early in October, 

 but in Damara Land it is somewhat later. The eggs 

 are four or five in number, of a pure white, dotted over 

 with minute brown spots ; the irides are brown. 



Measurements of a male and a female : 



Male. Female, 



in. lin. in. lin. 



Entire length 76 70 



Length of folded wing ... 4 10 46 



tarsus 07 06 



middle toe .... 7 06 



tail 3 11 38 



bill 7 07 



E 2 



