102 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



have rarely been got successfully through the moult in 

 confinement. Their cages must be large, at least two or 

 three feet long, and have but two perches, which should 

 be covered with cloth, as the birds' feet are tender. The 

 food should consist of insects mixed up in a paste of hard- 

 boiled egg and satoo, which they can be taught to eat by 

 giving them insects only at first. Swallows generally 

 are called Ababil in Hindustani. 



Of the rather numerous species found in India, three 

 may be noticed here. 



THE HOUSE-SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica) is the best 

 known of the whole family, being found all over Europe 

 and Africa and a large part of Asia ; it is very common in 

 England in summer, and in India breeds all along the 

 Himalayas at moderate elevations, coming down to the 

 plains in winter. To distinguish this familiar bird from 

 other Swallows it may be described ; the plumage is steel- 

 blue above and cream-coloured below, with the forehead 

 and throat chestnut-red, followed by a blue-black band 

 across the breast ; on the tail is a row of white spots, and 

 the outer feathers are very long, especially in the male, 

 forming the proverbial " Swallow-tail " fork. 



Young birds are very dull in colour, showing but little 

 blue gloss, and with the face a sort of dull buff tint. A few 

 birds in this plumage may turn up in the plains at any 

 time of the year. 



This description applies to the House-Swallow in its 

 pure form, but many specimens show traces of a cross 

 with the Eastern House-Swallow (Hirundo gutturalis), 

 which inhabits Eastern Asia, migrating south in winter, 



