316 Dr. R. B. Sharpe on Birds 



58. HlHUNUO CUCULLATA. 



Hirundo cucullata Bodd. ; Sharpe, ed. Layard, pp. 370, 

 841 (1875-84) ; id. Cat. B. x. p. 152 (1885) ; id. & Wyatt, 

 Monogr. Hirund. i. p. 337, pi. lxii. (1886) ; Stark, Faun. 

 S. Afr., Birds, ii. p. 298 (1901) ; Sharpe, Hand-1. B. iii. 

 p. 190 (1901) ; Reichenow, Vog. Afrikas, ii. p. 412 (1903). 



a. £ ad. Deelfontein, Jan. 8, 1901 . 



fl, c. <£ ? juv. Deelfontein, Jan. 20, 1901. 



d-f. <$ ad. ; g, h. ? ad. Deelfontein, March 5, 1902. 



i. $ ad. „ April 3, 1902. 



k, I. 6 $ ad. „ Oct. 24, 1902. 



m, n. (J ad. ; o-q. ? ad. „ Oct. 29, 1902. 



r, s. <J $ ad. „ Nov. 29, 1902. 



There seems to be scarcely any difference between the 

 sexes. It is evident from the Deelfontein series that this 

 Swallow, though a resident in South Africa, follows the same 

 fashion as migrating Swallows do, and moults in the winter 

 season, acquiring its full plumage before the breeding-time 

 comes on. All the birds killed in October and November 

 (the latter with nest and eggs) have nearly uniform rufous 

 crowns, with scarcely a trace of black mottling. As the 

 breeding-season progresses, however, we find the crown 

 mottled with black bases to the feathers, which become much 

 worn from January to March. Nestling birds have the 

 head very thickly mottled with black, the inner secondaries 

 broadly tipped with cinnamon-rufous, and the stripes on 

 the under surface rather broader. One egg is pure white, 

 peppered with faint reddish dots, very indistinct, but a little 

 more plentiful at the larger eud : axis 085 inch, diam. 06. 

 Two others are pure white with a few faint reddish dots, 

 chiefly near the large end ; these dots are very few and 

 scarcely perceptible : axis 0'75-0'8 inch, diam. 06. 



[Very common and breeds with us. The nests have a 

 long spout and are built in sheltered spots on the farms. 

 The eggs are four in number. Both the parent birds sleep 

 in the nest at night.] 



59. Petrochelidon spilodera. 



Petrochelidon spilodera (Sundev.) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard, 



