MACBOPTERYX. 179 



abdomen is all white except the dark shafts ; tail and wings black 

 beneath. 



Tarsus naked ; bill and legs black (Beavan). 



Length 4 ; tail 1-5 ; wing 4 ; tarsus -32. Tail nearly square. 



Distribution. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mergui Archipelago 

 {Elyih}, Johore and Malacca, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. 



Habits, &fc. similar to those of other species. The nests are usually 

 in caves, and according to Hume and Davison, the latter of whom 

 watched the process of building, consist of brown moss firmly 

 agglutinated with saliva. These nests are never collected for sale, 

 as they are not regarded as edible. The present species at Port 

 Blair in the Andamans has taken to buildings, and even makes its 

 nests at times in inhabited rooms. The eggs, five in number, 

 measure about *7 by *45. 



Subfamily MACROPTERYGIN^E. 



Genus MACROPTERYX, Swaiuson, 1831. 



The Crested Swifts form a subfamily composed of a single genus, 

 distinguished by their short naked tarsi, and by the wings when 

 folded not extending or scarcely extending beyond the tail. There 

 are, however, several other characters of importance. The plumage 

 is softer than in other Swifts, and there is a patch of silky downy 

 feathers on each flank. The sexes differ, and the plumage of the 

 nestling is unlike that of the adults, both characters not found in 

 other members of the family. The sincipital feathers are more or 

 less elongated and erectile ; in some species there are also elongate 

 superciliary or moustachial tufts. The tail is long and forked. 

 The hind toe is not reversible. The posterior portion of the 

 sternum has two foramina, one on each side. 



Quite recently, too, it has been shown by Mr. E. A. Lucas (Ibis, 

 1895, p. 300) that the deep plantar tendons in Macropteryx coronata 

 differ from those of other Cypseli. The flexor longus haUucis gives 

 off a slip to the hallux (which is not supplied by the /. perf. diyi- 

 torum), and then goes on to blend, not with the f. perf. digitorum as 

 a whole, but with that branch of it which goes to supply the fourth 

 digit. 



The nidification on trees is described under M. coronata. Only 

 a single egg is laid. The genus is found in the Oriental region 

 and Papuasia, three species occurring within our limits. 



Key to the Species. 



(i. Sincipital crest long ; no superciliary or mous- 

 tachial tufts. 



a'. Back bluish grey M. coronata, p. 180. 



b'. Back greenish bronze M. longipennis, p. 181. 



b. Crest smaller ; white superciliary and mous- 

 tachial stripes elongated into tufts behind. , M. comata, p. 182. 



N2 



