CYPSELINJ:, 87 



throat dirty white ; the rest of the body glossy brown ; the tips 

 of the feathers whitish ; the tail is forked, the outer feathers being 

 about one inch shorter than the central ones. 



In the Ibis for 1871-72, Dr. Jerdon considerably modified the 

 above description. I cannot do better than reproduce the passage : 

 " Stolickza remarks that in some specimens there was no trace of 

 white on the claws, This character is indeed exceptional, and 

 the name is therefore unfortunate.'' Dr. S. also states that a slight 

 pale supercilium is generally traceable, and that the head and 

 neck are paler than the back. 



Dr. Jerdon obtained a specimen in the western part of the 

 Deccan, and several in Malabar ; it does not appear to have been 

 procured by any other naturalist. 



Cypsellus batassiensis, J, E. Gr. 



102. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 180 ; Butler, Deccan ; 



Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 379 ; Guzerat, Stray Feathers, 



Vol. Ill, p. 454. 



THE PALM SWIFT. 

 Tadi ababil, Hin. 



Length, 4*92 to 5*25 ; expanse, 9 ! 50 ; wing, 4'5 ; tail, 2'35 ; 

 tarsus, 0*4 ; bill from gape, 0'5. 



Bill black ; irides brown ; feet dusky-reddish. 



Wholly glossy ashy-brown ; darker on the wings and tail, and 

 lighter and somewhat albescent beneath ; tail deeply forked. 



The Palm Swift is a common and permanent resident in many 

 parts of the Deccan, wherever there are plenty of palm trees, 

 but where there are not, this bird is generally absent. Captain 

 Butler saw a pair at Mount Aboo, but it must be very rare there, 

 as no other observer has noticed it. 



They nest twice in the year, in March and again in July ; 

 the nest, a tiny, watch-pocket-shaped cup, is made of saliva, 

 incorporated with fine feathers, the down of plants, and such like 

 kindred substances, and is fixed to the under surface of a bent 

 palm leaf ; the eggs, generally three in number, are miniatures 

 of those of 0. affinis, and average barely 071 in length by 0'46 

 in breadth. 



GENUS, Collocalia, Gray. 



Hind toe pointing backwards; second quill longest; tail moderate, 

 even, or slightly forked ; bill very small, much hooked ; feet very 

 small. 



Collocalia unicolor, Jerd. 



103. Collocalia nidifica, Latham. Jerdon's Birds of India, 

 Vol. I, p. 183; Butler, Deccan; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, 

 p. 380. 



THE INDIAN EDIBLE-NEST SWIFTLET. 

 Length, 475 to 5 ; expanse, 11-5 ; wing, 4'5 to 475 ; tail, 2*25, 



slightly forked and the feathers very broad. 



