HIRUNDO. 265 



under culverts beneath which there is some water, and under overhanging 

 shelves of rock or kunker projecting from the face of stony or earthy river 

 cliff. The nest is composed exteriorly of mud, and is usually lined with 

 feathers. Eggs, 2 3 in number, a long narrow oval, a good deal pointed 

 towards one end ; ground color white or pinkish white, richly speckled and 

 spotted with shades of reddish brown or brownish red. Often the markings 

 form a zone round the large end. Size 0*65 to o - 8 X O'5 to 0*57. 



Hirundo rufula, Temm., a species distinguished by its blue head, cinna- 

 mon rufous rump fading off into creamy buff, and with the under surface 

 fulvescent with mesial shaft streaks, is recorded from Bampur in Beloochistan, 

 and a var. or sub-sp. closely resembling it but smaller from Pushut, Afghan- 

 istan. Wing 4 35 45 against 4-7 of H. rufula. 



778. HirundO nipalensis, ffodgs., Icon, ined in Br. Mus. 

 Passeres, pi. 6; id. J , A. S, B. vi. p. 780; Hume and Davison, Str. F. 1878, 

 p 44; Hume, Str. F. 1879, p. 84; Scully, /. c. p. 233; Bingham, Sir. F. 

 1880, p. 148 ; Hume, /. c. p. 246 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm. i. p. 306. Hirundo 

 daurica (non Pall.), Gray, Cat. Fissirostres, Br. Mus. p. 23 ; JFerd., B. Ind.\. 

 p. 1 60, No. 85 (1862 pt.) ; Brooks, Ibis, 1869, p. 46. Lillia daurica, Hume, 

 Nests and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 78. Cecropis nipalensis, Hume, Str. F. 1875, 

 p. 42. Hirundo (Cecropis) nipalensis, Brooks, Str. F. 1875, p. 230. Lillia 

 arctivitta, Hume, Str. F. 1877, PP- 261, 266. Hirundo arctivitta, Oates, B. 

 Br. Burm. i. p. 307. SWINHOE'S STREAKED SWALLOW. 



Forehead, crown, back, scapulars and lesser wing coverts glossy steel 

 black ; lores ashy ; a spot in front of the eye black, a narrow supercilium 

 and a broad patch behind and above the ear coverts chestnut, these patches 

 narrowly and interruptedly connected on the nape ; ear coverts, cheeks and the 

 whole under surface white, narrowly streaked with dusky ; rump chestnut, 

 the band very narrow ; upper tail coverts black ; under tail coverts white at 

 base, black at the tip, the black not more than 07 in length. Bill black ; feet 

 dusky. 



Length, 7 inches ; wing 4-4 to 4*7 ; smaller than H. daurica, vera. 



Hab. N. China, the Himalayas from Simla to Assam, wintering in the 

 plains of India and the Burmese countries. Sharpe's record gives the following 

 localities : Upper Assam, Nepaul, Behar, Kamptee, Godavery Valley, Pegu 

 and Tenasserim. Gates says Captain Wardlaw-Ramsay obtained a specimen 

 on the Karin hills east of Tounghoo. Breeds in the Himalayas and the Dhoon, 

 also at Murree about May, June, July and August. Eggs, pure white, 

 0-8189 X 0-55 0-6. 



779. HirundO Japonica, Temm. and Schleg., Faun. Japan. Avcs, 

 p. 33, pi. ii.; Bp., Consp. Av. i. p. 340. Hirundo daurica, Swinh., Ibis, 1860, 

 p. 48 ; 1863, pp. 89, 255. Hirundo striolata (non. Tern, and Schleg.}, Wall., 

 P. Z. S. 1863, P- 485 ; Wald.,B. Burm. p. 127; Hume and Dav., Str. F. 



VOL. 1I.-34 



