6 BIRDS OP BRITISH BURMAH. 



Legs and feet pale pink or dull purplish pink or livid with a blue tinge; 

 bill black; irides dark brown. (Davison.) 



Length 9 inches, tail 2'8, wing 7'8, tarsus -75, bill from gape I'l. The 

 female is very little smaller. 



The Indian Giant Spine-tail was observed by Mr. Davison in the extreme 

 south of Tenasserim, where it appears to occur but sparingly. Colonel 

 Lloyd procured a 'specimen in Karennee many years ago ; and I find on 

 inquiry that this specimen, which is now in Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay's 

 collection, is undoubtedly H. indicus and not H. giganteus. 



This Spine-tail occurs in Southern India, Ceylon and the Andaman 

 Islands. Mr. Inglis procured it in Cachar, and Mr. Davison observed it at 

 Junk Ceylon in the Malay peninsula. 



These Swifts are remarkable for their wonderful powers of flight, and 

 they associate in immense flocks. They probably breed in caves and faces 

 of precipices ; and, according to Mr. Swinhoe, some birds of this genus 

 make edible nests. 



H. nudipes is another species of Spine-tail from the Himalayas. It has 

 the chin, throat and fore neck white, but wants the white spots on the 

 lores. H. acuticauda, from Australia, is another large species with the 

 whole forehead white. 



Genus RHAPHIDURA, Gates. 



406. RHAPHIDURA LEUCOPYGIALIS. 



THE SMALL BLACK SPINE-TAIL. 



Acanthylis leucopygialis, Bl. J. A. S. B. xviii. p. 809. Cypselus coracinus, 

 Mull., Schkg. Handl Dierk. i. pp. 221, 479, Vogels, pi. ii. %. 14. Chsetura 

 coracina, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 614 ; Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 124 ; Hume fy 

 Dav. S. F. vi. p. 45. Chaetura leucopygialis, Hume, S. F. vii. p. 518, viii. 

 p. 84. 



Description. Male and female. The whole plumage glossy bluish black, 

 except the rump and upper tail-coverts, which are greyish white with the 

 shafts black ; the tail-coverts reach to the tip of the tail, leaving merely 

 the spines exposed. 



Legs and feet livid purple ; claws and bill black ; irides dark brown. 

 (Davison.} 



Length 4'7 inches, tail 1'7, wing 4-8, tarsus '35, bill from gape '6.- The 

 female is slightly smaller. 



