260 HIRUNDINID^E. 



the latter sub-specific rank. He goes on, " I say nothing about the probabi- 

 lity of hybridization* taking place between the various forms of H. rustica^ 

 for at present we have no positive evidence of such being the case, but I 

 would draw attention to the fact that although, in my opinion, H. Savignii 

 does not occur in Palestine, the examples of H. rustica from that country are 

 permanently more rufous than those from any part of Europe." How is this 

 to be accounted for? According to Mr. Sharpe and it is possible too 

 " it may be due to a strain of H. Savignii from adjoining localities. They 

 are, however, always to be distinguished even from young H. Savignii, and 

 are to be matched by specimens from different parts of Europe/' The same 

 difficulties attend the determination of the swallows which winter in Burmah, 

 where many specimens occur which are puzzling to the Naturalist. They 

 may be hybrids between the various races of H. rustica ; and nothing but 

 continued study by field naturalists can solve these points in question. It 

 seems to me that a case of hybridization between H. rustica and H. tylleri 

 would result in offspring very difficult to distinguish from H. erythrogastra. 

 More recently Mr. Seebohm has reviewed the question. He recognizes five 

 races. H. rtistica, according to this author, has a wide summer range in 

 Europe, extending to the valley of the Yen-e-say, but it is said to winter in 

 " Sind and West India/' Mr. Sharpe continues, and adds his experience 

 "that it shares to a great extent the winter quarters of the Eastern Chimney 

 Swallow, called by Mr. Seebohm H. rustica var. gutturalis^ and that 

 it is quite possible it accompanies the latter occasionally back to its summer 

 home. There are many places where both races occur together in winter ; 

 and the Burmese countries appear to be the winter residence of at least four 

 of the Chimney Swallows//, rustica, PL gutturalis, H. erythrogastra and 

 H. tytleri. Speaking of H. rustica var. horreorum, Mr. Seebohm says that 

 it winters in Burmah, " where it has been re-named H. tytleri." This is not 

 strictly correct, for although specimens from Lake Baical are identical with 

 the North-American bird, and undoubted examples are in the British Museum 

 from Burmah ; yet, they cannot be said to be identical with H. tytleri, which 

 is a distinct race leading on to H. Savignii, which it resembles in its deep 

 chestnut under surface, while it retains the broken breast band of the //. 

 gutturalis and ff. horreorum type." 



Male. Forehead light chestnut ; body and wings glossy steel blue ; pri- 

 maries and secondaries black; tail feathers black, with a large white spot on 

 the inner webs of all except the mesial ones ; throat chestnut ; a dark blue 

 band across the upper part of the chest j rest of under parts white or rufescent 

 white. Bill, legs, and feet black. 



Length. To end of outer tail feathers 7-5 inches, of which the tail is 4-5 ; 

 middle tail feathers 2 inches; wing 4-8. The female is distinguished by the 



* The italics are mine. 



