608 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON THE [June 27, 
Reise, i. p. 250; Radde, Reisen, ii. p. 129; Swinhoe, P. Z, 8. 1863, 
p- 263; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 175. 
Chetura nudipes, Hodgs. J. A. 8. B. v. p. 779 (1836). 
Cypselus leuconotus, Deless. Mag. de Zool. 1840, Ois. t. 20; 
Souv. Voy. dans I’Inde, Ois. t. 9. 
Acanthylis caudacuta, Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 173. 
Acanthylis fusca, Blyth, Cat. p. 84. 
Hirundo ciris, Pallas, Zoogr. R.-A. p. 541(?). 
Fusca, pileo alis et cauda obscurioribus, eneo perfusis: gutture 
et crisso pure albis: fronte interdum albida: long. tota 7:5, 
ale’80, caude 2°2. 
Hab. Eastern Australia and Tasmania (Gould); China, Amoy 
(Swinhoe) ; South-Eastern Himalayas, Nepal, Sikim, Bootan (Jer- 
don); Amoorland (v. Schrenck and Radde). 
Mr. Gould figures this fine species in the ‘ Birds of Australia’ 
with a conspicuous white front. This is so in some Australian ex- 
amples, but in others (as in a Tasmanian skin in Mr. Gould’s col- 
lection) the front is nearly black. This is likewise the case in one of 
Mr. Hodgson’s skins typical of his Acanthylis nudipes. ‘The Hima- 
layan skin is also rather darker below than the Chinese bird, but I 
can see no other difference. 
It would be interesting, however, to know whether this bird is 
found anywhere between Asia and North-Eastern Australia, as in 
Celebes a very distinct form occurs. 
2. Cu#TURA GIGANTEA. 
Cypselus giganteus, Term. Pl. Col. 364. 
Acanthylis gigantea, Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 172. 
A. caudacuta, Blyth, Cat. p. 84. 
Nigricanti-fusca, pileo alis et cauda @neo perfusis: crisso et 
hypochondriis pure albis : long. tota 8°4, ale 8-0, caude rectr. 
med. 2°6, ext. 2°2. ? 
Hab. Java (Van Hasselt) ; Sumatra (Mus. Lugd.) ; Malay penin- 
sula up to Arakan (Blyth); Nilgherries (Jerdon) ; Ceylon (Layard); 
Pinang (Cantor) ; Singapore (Wallace) ; Celebes (Mus. Lugd.). 
One example of this Swift is in Mr. Wallace’s collection, shot by 
himself at Singapore ; but the species is not in the British Museum. 
In form it is identical with the preceding, but is easily distinguish- 
able by its smoky-black throat being uniform with its breast. The 
spines of the tail-feathers are rather stronger, particularly in the 
medial pair. 
There are four examples of this species in the Leyden Museum. 
Two from Java and Sumatra belong to the typical form; but two 
others, from Celebes (Menado), almost merit specific separation. In 
these the whole body, above and below, is dark brownish black 
glossed with purple, like the wings, and there is a well-marked nar- 
row white patch on the front on each side of the nostrils. This 
appears to constitute a local variety, which may be called Chetura 
gigantea, var. celebensis. 
ite x «. 
