CHjEIFBA. 



173 



hinder part of the flanks, area behind vent, and lower tail-coverts 

 white ; breast and abdomen brown, with a slightly reddish tinge. 



Bill black ; irides deep brown ; legs and feet purplish Livid 

 (Jerdon). 



Length about 8 ; tail 2 ; wing 8 ; tarsus *6. Tail nearly square, 

 the spinous tips projecting *15 inch. 



Distribution. Throughout the Himalayas from Hazara to Upper 

 Assam. This bird has been shot at Dibrugarh. 



Fig. 51. Tail of C. nudipes, \. 



Habits, #c. This and other large Spine-tails are, I believe, 

 absolutely the swiftest of living birds. Their flight far excels 

 that of the Alpine Swift, and I doubt if any Falcon can approach 

 them in speed. They are generally seen in scattered flocks that 

 play about for a time, and disappear at a pace that must be seen 

 to be appreciated. They roost and breed, so far as is known, 

 amongst rocks. 



C. caudacuta, which ranges from Siberia to Australia, is closely 

 allied, but is distinguished by its white forehead. 



1078. Chaetura indica. The Brown-necked Spine-tail. 



Acanthylis caudacuta, apud Blyth, Cat. p. 84 ; Layard, A.M.NH. 



(2) xii, p. 170; Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. 2, p. 94; nee 



Latham. 

 Acauthylis gigantea, Horsf. # M. . Cat. i, p. 387 ; Jerdon, B. I. i. 



p. 172 ; Beavan, Ibis, 1867, p. 317 ; Blyth 8? Wald. Birds Burm. 



p. 84 ; Wardlaw-Ramsay, Ibis, 1877, p. 459 ; nee Temm. 

 Chsetura indica, Hume, S. F. i, p. 471 (1873) ; ii, p. 155 ; iv, pp. 223, 



286; xi, p. 30; id. Cat. no. 96; Hume $ Inglis, S. F. v, p. 17; 



Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi, p. 46 ; Hume Sf Bourdillon, S. F. vii, 



p. 34; Damson, S. F. x, p. 347 ; Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 475. 

 Hirundinapus giganteus, apud Walden, Ibis, 1874, p. 131; nee 



Temm. 

 Chaetura gigantea, apud Jerdon, Mad. Jour. L. S. xiii, pt. 2, p. 144 ; 



Blyth, J. A. S. B. xi, p. 885 ; Hume, S. F. iv, pp. 223, 287 ; id. 



Cat. no. 96 bis ; Hume Dav. S. F. vi, p. 46 ; Legge, Birds Ceyl. 



p. 314. 

 Hirundinapus giganteus & II. indicus, Gates, B. B. ii, p. 5. 



Coloration. A large velvety black spot before the eye, with 

 a white spot in front extending to the nostril ; crown and 



