HIRUITDO. 283 



am inclined to consider the two races sufficiently well differentiated 

 to be easily recognizable, notwithstanding that a few birds may 

 occasionally be met with which it is difficult to assign to the one 

 species or the other with certainty. 



Distribution. Every portion of the Empire, breeding along the 

 whole extent of the Himalayas, and visiting the plains in the 

 winter months. 



This species extends into China, where it appears to be common, 

 and it ranges as far as Japan. 



Habits, 6>"c. Breeds in the Himalayas from April to August, 

 constructing a retort-shaped nest like that of //. fluvicola in the 

 verandahs of houses, and on rocks and cliffs. The eggs are pure 

 white, and measure about *85 by *55. 



erythropygia, Sykes, P. Z. 8. 1832, p. 83 j Hume, Cat. 

 ; Legye, Birds Ceyl. p. 594 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x, p. 164 ; 

 *, Birds Bom, p. 80 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. ii, 



823. Hirundo erythropygia. Sykes's Striated Swallow. 



Hirundo erythropygia, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 83 j Hume, Cat. 



no. 85 ; 



Barnes, 



p. 197. 

 Hirundo daurica, Linn., Blyth, Cat. p. 198 (pt.) ; Horsf. $ M. Cat. 



i, p. 92 (pt.) ; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 160 (pt.). 

 Lillia erythropygia (Sykes), Hume, N. fy E. p. 76 ; id. S. F. v, 



p. 255. 

 The Red-rumped Swallow, Jerd. ; Masjid-ababil, Hind. 



Coloration. Forehead, crown, nape, back, scapulars, lesser and 

 median wing-coverts glossy steel-blue ; rump and the shorter 

 upper tail-coverts plain chestnut ; longer upper tail-coverts glossy 

 black ; greater wing-coverts, quills, and tail dark brown, glossed 

 with blue on the outer webs; the outermost tail-feather with an 

 obsolete white patch on the inner web ; lores brown ; under the 

 eye mixed rufous and brown ; ear-coverts and a narrow partially- 

 interrupted collar on the hind neck chestnut; the whole lower 

 plumage pale rufous, with delicate brown streaks, hardly anywhere 

 broader than the shafts themselves ; under tail-coverts tipped with 

 black ; sides of the neck glossy blue, extending to the sides of the 

 breast. 



The young bird has the striations on the lower plumage very 

 faint, and the quills are tipped with rufous. 



Bill and legs black ; iris brown. 



Length about 6-5 ; tail 3'2 ; wing 4-3 ; tarsus -5 ; bill from gape 

 45 ; bifurcation of tail 1*4. 



Distribution. A resident in the plains of India from the foot of 

 the Himalayas to the Nilgiris, and from Sind to about the longi- 

 tude of Calcutta. This Swallow occasionally wanders to Ceylon. 



Habits, $c. Breeds from April to August, constructing a retort- 

 si iMju.'d nest of mud under arches, against walls and rocks, and 

 sometimes in old buildings. The eggs are pure white, three in 

 number, and measure about '78 by '55. 



