THREE UNPUBLISHED PAPERS BY BLYTH. 323 



Malayan Peninsula, and the x^ustral-Asian Archipelago generally, 

 as far as N. Guinea. Cypselus parvus, Licht., of Africa, is sup- 

 posed by Mr. Gray to constitute a fifth. They inhabit extensive 

 tracts of high jungle, and the Indian species, remarks Mr. 

 Jerdon, " frequently perches on bare and leafless trees. While on 

 the wing it has a loud Parrot-like cry, very diff'erent from that of 

 other Swifts. The elegant frontal crest is frequently raised when 

 the bird is sitting." 



The four oriental species might range in two sections, — those 

 which have very long wings (as the two described below), — and 

 those with shorter wings (as M. comatics andilf. mystaceus), whioh. 

 are most elegantly adorned with long white supercilia and 

 moustaches, respectively continued backward from a white fore- 

 head and white throat. The colouring of the latter is still 

 richer, with finer contrasts of luies, than in the two following 

 species. 



M. coRONATUS ; Hirundo coronata, Tickell, J. A. S. ii. 580 ; 

 M. klecho (v. longipennis) of India, auctorum, described J. A. S. 

 XV. 21. Outer tail-feathers reaching 1^ in. beyond the tips of 

 the wings. Chin and sides of throat of the male, besides the 

 ear-coverts, ferruginous, replaced in the female by black, with a 

 whitish line bordering the throat. Colour bluish grey, infus- 

 cated, purer on the back and rump ; paler on the belly, and 

 passing to whitish on the middle of belly and lower tail-coverts ; 

 fore part of the wings glossed with purple, the rest of the 

 plumage with green. " Irides deep brown ; bill black ; legs bluish 

 black; soles of feet reddish white" (Jerdon). Length of wing, 

 6:^ in.; of middle tail-feathers. If in. ; the outermost 5^ in., and 

 passing the next by about 2 in. (more or less). 



Inhabits the high forest jungles of peninsular India in large 

 flocks, "being partially met with," remarks Captain Tickell, 

 " hovering over the marshy spaces in the jungles. They dis- 

 appear in these regions" (Birbhum, &c.) "by the end of March, but 

 I could never trace the direction of their flight." In a late com- 

 munication the same gentleman remarks : — " This species is very 

 common, but local, resorting entirely to tree jungle, and chiefly 

 marshy ponds in the close vicinity of forests. It has a mono- 

 tonous squeak, resembling the cry 'kya' of a Parrakeet flying 

 along. These birds are very gregarious, and pass the heat of the 

 day in the forest, perching all together on some limb of a lofty 



