HIRUNDINAPUS. 391 



Borneo p. 1 19; Hume, Sir. F. iii. p. 44 ; Wald. in Blyttfs B. Burm. p. 85 ; 

 David e/ <9w^/. <9/>. 6^i<?, p. 70; Hume f and Dav., Sir. F. vi, p. 48; Hume, 

 Sir. F. viii. p. 85 ; Bingham, Sir. F. viii. p. 192 ; id., Str. F. ix. p. 149. 

 Cypselus tectorum, Jerd.,Proc. As. Soc. eng. 1870, p. 61 ; Godwin-Austen, 

 J. A. 5. B. xxxix. pt. ii. p. 94. Cypselus tinus, Swmhoe, Ibis, 1870, p. 90. 

 The EASTERN PALM SWIFT. 



Upper plumage nearly black or very dark brown, the rump and upper tail 

 coverts paler ; sides of the head and neck and the whole under surface of the 

 body smoky brown. Bill and feet black : eyelids plumbeous ; irides brown. 



Length. 5 to 5*5 inches ; tail 2-2 to 2-4 ; wing 5*6 ; tarsus 0-3 ; bill from 

 gape 0*55 ; fork of tail about 0*9. 



Hab. British Burmah, Assam, the hill tracts of Eastern Bengal, extending 

 to the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and China. Gates says it is abundant through- 

 out Burinah,. being found in small flocks flying at no- great height from the 

 ground, and that it is a constant resident. Capt. Bingham and Mr. Theobald 

 found their nests in Tenasserim and Pegu. They breed from March to May 

 in the Garro and North Cachar Hills, and from April to July in Pegu and 

 Tenasserim, attaching their nests to the palm leaves used by the people to 

 roof their huts. The nests, according to Hume, are tiny little shallow saucers, 

 some 2 inches in diameter ; composed of fluffy vegetable down, and a few 

 feathers agglutinated with saliva. The eggs, generally 2 3 in number, are 

 pure white. 



Sub-Family. CH.ETURIN.E. 



Characters same as those of Cypselmce ; tail feathers ending in a spinou3 

 tip ; the species comprised in it are mostly of large size, and pale colours. 



Gen. Hirundinapus, Hodgs. 



Toes three in front ; hind toe or hallux shorter than the front toes, oppos- 

 able and reversible to the front ; tarsus naked ; tail short, even or wedge- 

 shaped ; the naked shafts of the feathers ending in a spinous tip. 



959. HirundinapUS giganteus (Van ffass.), Salvad, Ucc. Born. 

 p. 124 (partim)', Oatcs, B. Br. Burm. ii. p. 5. Cypselus giganteus, Temm. 

 pi. Col. 364. Chaetura gigantea, -Sclater, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 608 (partini) ; 

 Hume and Dav., Sir. F. vi. p. 46; Hume, Sir. F. viii. p. 84. The GIANT 

 SPINE-TAIL. 



Top and sides of the head and neck, upper tail coverts, wings and tail 

 black, or very dark brown ; lores very deep black ; back, scapulars, and run/p 

 pale brown, more or less glossy ; under surface of the body smoky brown ; the 

 under tail coverts white with black shafts. Bill black; irides dark brown; feet 

 pale brown. 



Length. 9 inches ; tail 3 ; wing 8' to 8-2 ; tarsus O'y ; bill from gape ri 



Hab. The Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and British Burmah. In the 

 VOL II. 51 



