269 

 804. Chelidon urbica. The 



Hirundo urbica, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 344 (1766) ; Blyth, Cat. p. 198. 

 Chelidon urbica (Linn.), Hor*f. $ M. Cat. i, p. 385 ; Jerd. B. I. i, 



p. IW ; ll,nne, Cat. no. 92 ; Butler, S. F. ix, p. 378 ; Scully, Ibis, 



1881, p. 428 ; Biddudph, Ibis, 1882, p. 269; Barnes, Birds Bom. 



p. 84 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x, p. 87 ; Oates in Humes N. % E. 2nd 



ed. ii, p. 177. 

 TheEnylish House Martin, Jerd. 



Coloration. Forehead, crown, nape, lores, a small space below 

 the eye, hind neck, back, and scapulars glossy bluish black ; rump 

 and the shorter upper tail-coverts white, with the shafts very 

 narrowly brown ; longer upper tail-coverts glossy black ; tail 

 black with a slight gloss ; coverts and quills dull black, some of 

 the smaller coverts margined with glossy bluish black ; cheeks, 

 ear-coverts, and lower plumage white, washed with ashy on the 

 sides of the breast and body and on the auxiliaries. 



The young have the chin, throat, fore neck, cheeks, and ear- 

 coverts dull smoky brown, and the quills next the body tipped 

 with white ; the upper plumage is dull brown. 



Bill black ; feet pale flesh-colour ; iris deep brown. 



Length nearly 6 ; tail 2-5 ; wing 4'4 ; tarsus *5 ; bill from gape 

 5 ; bifurcation of tail from %5 to *75. 



Distribution. The series of Indian-killed specimens of this 

 Martin in the Hume Collection is remarkably poor and the skins 

 are in almost all cases badly prepared. It is not therefore easy 

 to identify some of them with absolute certainty, especially the 

 younger birds, which are very close to C. kashmiriensis. There are 

 three nearly adult birds killed in April at Mussooree; one nearly 

 adult and four immature birds from Hazara, killed in September ; 

 one nearly adult from Khandesh killed in November; auother 

 quite adult, but moulting, from Hhiinoga, Mysore, obtained in 

 April, and four young January birds from Coimbatore. Until 

 well-preserved adult specimens are obtained, the distribution of 

 this Martin in India must remain in great doubt. Jerdon records 

 this species from the Nilgiris in March. Scully informs us that 

 it is very common in Gilgit in May and June, and Biddulph 

 obtained it at Gilgit in July. 



This species is found in Europe, Africa, and the western half of 

 Asia. 



Habits, $c. Has been found breeding in Mysore in May, con- 

 structing a nest of mud pellets lined with feathers under a large 

 rock in the bed of the river Tungabhadra. This Martin probably 

 breeds in other similar localities. The eggs, varying from t\\<> t<> 

 four in number, are pure white and measure about '75 by - 54. 



805. Chelidon kashmiriensis. The Kashmir Mn,-tin. 



Chelidon cashnicricnsis, f;,,n/,7, P. Z. S. 1858, p. :'."*( 5; ,/m/. D. I. i, 

 p. K'>7; Jluim', A'. A /:'. p. 84; id. Cat. no. 93; Biddulph, Ibis, 



