258 HIRUNDINID^:. 



are made of clay and of a cup-shape, and are lined with feathers and 

 soft flowering grasses. The number of eggs are 3 4, white, with minute dark 

 spots all over them, but particularly at the larger end. In length they vary 

 from 0'68 to 075 inch, and in breadth from o'S to O 56 inch. 



770- Cotile rupestris (S<-op\ Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 73; Butler, 

 Sir. F. 1875, p. 453; Ward law -Ramsay, Ibis, 1880, p. 48; Biddulph, Ibis, 

 1881, p. 47; Dixon, Sir. F. 1882, p. 561; Seebohm, Ibis, 1883, p. 22. 

 Hirundo rupestris, Scop., Ann. i. p. 167. Cotyle rupestris, Boie, his, 1826, 

 p. 971 ; JBp, Consp. Av. i. p. 341 ; Cab., Mus. Hein. Th. i. p. 50; Tristram, 

 Ibis, 1859, p. 434; Jerd., B. Ind. i. p. 166, No. 91 ; Blanf., Geol. Zool 

 Abyssinia, -p. 350; Brooke, Ibis, 1873, p. 237; Hume and Hend., Lahore to 

 Yarlt. p. 84 ; "Dresser, B.Eur. iii. p. 513, pi. 164 ; Dresser, Ibis, 1876, p. 162 ; 

 Builer, Sir. F. 1877, p. 227; Scully, Sir. F. 1879, p. 234 ; Blanf., E. Pers. 

 ii. p. 216. Ptyonoprogne rupestris, Reichenb., Syst. Av. pi. Ixxxvii., fig. 6 ; 

 Hume, Nests and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 84 ; id., Str. F. 1876, p. 131 ; Fairb., t. c. 

 p. 254 ; Butler, Cat. B. Sind, tyc., p. 13. The MOUNTAIN CRAG MARTIN. 



Above light ashy brown, a little darker on the head ; rump and upper 

 tail coverts decidedly lighter ; wing coverts and quills dark brown, also the 

 tail feathers, all of which, except the two centre ones and the outermost on 

 each side have a large oval white spot on their inner web ; lores, cheeks 

 and ear coverts dull brown ; abdomen rufous ashy ; under tail coverts, flanks 

 and vent smoky brown like the under wing coverts and axillaries, which have 

 faint rufous margins. Bill black j legs and feet fleshy ; iris dark brown. 



Length. 4-8 to 5'2 inches ; wing 4-9 to 575, exceeding the tail by 3 inch ; 

 tail 2 -2 to 2-4 ; tarsus 0-4 ; culmen 0-4. 



Hab. Southern Europe, and countries bordering the Mediterranean. Moun- 

 tains of N.-E. Africa and Palestine, ranging to the Caucasus and Central Asia, 

 the Himalayas and Neilgherries ; occurring also on the mountains of Mongolia 

 and North China. Indian recorded localities are N.-W. India, Madras, 

 Neilgherries and Darjeeling. Nepaul and Bhootan are also given as places 

 where it occurs. Jerdon says he saw it occasionally in large flocks, and at 

 other times in small parties at Darjeeling and on the Neilgherries, and adds 

 that the number he saw in October at Darjeeling seemed to be birds of passage. 

 In Nepaul, according to Hodgson, they are found throughout the year. 



771. Cotile ObSOleta, Cab., Mus. Hein. Th. i. p. 50; Heugl., B. 

 N. O. Afr. i. p. 163 ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 301 ; Blanf., Ibis, 1875, 

 p. 214; Murray, Vert. Zool. Sind, p. 104; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. x. 

 p. in. Ptyonoprogne pallida, Hume, Str.F. 1873, pp. I, 417; Blanf., Ibis, 

 1873, p. 214. Cotyle obsoleta, Blanf., East Pcrs. ii. p. 217. Ptyonoprogne 

 obsoleta, Hume, Sir. F. 1879, p. 84; Butler, Cat. B. Sind. p. 13. The 

 PALE CRAG MARTIN. 



