306 MR. R.B.SHARPE ON ETHIOPIAN HIRUNDINID#&. [May 12, 
of B. i. p. 57 (1845); Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 338 (1850); 
Cass. Cat. Hirund. Phil. Acad. p. 2(1852); Mill. Journ. f.Orn. 1855, 
p- 4; Bonap. Rivist. Contemp. Torin. 1857, p.4; Cass. Proc. Acad. 
Philad. 1859, p. 33; Blas. Naum. 1859, p. 254; Hartl. Journ. f. 
Orn. 1861, p. 103; Tristr. Ibis, 1862, p. 278; Antin. Cat. Coll. 
Uce. p. 26 (1865); Blyth, Ibis, 1866, pp. 237, 336; Gurney, Ibis, 
1866, p. 423; Taylor, Ibis, 1867, pp. 56, 57; Tristr. Ibis, 1867, 
p- 361 ; Saunders, Ibis, 1869, p. 396 ; Heugl. Orn. N.-O. Afr. p. 152; 
Gray, Hand-l. of B. i. p. 68 (1869); Elwes and Buckl. Ibis, 1870, 
. 200. 
‘ Hirundo boissoneauti, Temm. Man. d’Orn. iv. p. 652 (1840); 
Linderm. Voég. Griechenl. p. 119 (1860). 
Cecropis boissoneauti, Brehm, Journ. f. Orn. 1853, p. 452. 
Hirundo rustica, var. orientalis, Schl. Rev. Crit. p. xviii (1844) ; 
Adams, Ibis, 1864, p. 14. 
Hirundo rustica, var. savignii, Bree, B. of Eur. iii. p. 170. 
Above rather dull steel-blue; quills washed externally with dull 
greenish steel-blue ; tail brownish black, glossed on the upper sur- 
face with dull greenish steel-blue, all the spots on tbe inner webs of 
the feathers pale buff; forehead chestnut ; space between the bill 
and the eye black; throat and entire under surface chestnut; a 
broad band across the upper part of the breast dusky black, washed 
with steel-blue; bill black; feet dark brown. Total length 6:5 
inches, wing 4°5, tail 3. 
Hab. Egypt (Taylor, Adams, et al.); Palestine, on the coast (in the 
maritime plains) and throughout the length of the Jordan valley 
(Tristram) ; Nubia (Riippell) ; ? Greece (Lindermayer) ; ? Constan- 
tinople (Robson). 
The limited range which I allow to this species will doubtless be 
surprising to some ornithologists who are accustomed to believe that 
H. riocouri occurs and breeds with H. rustica in various portions of 
Europe, and, further, that it has occurred in England. Notwith- 
standing that it is in direct contradiction to the opinion of Professor 
Blasius, who is worthily considered one of our first authorities on 
European ornithology, I venture to suggest that Hirundo riocouri 
is strictly a South-eastern European bird, possessing a very limited 
range, and that all the specimens set down as this species which have 
occurred in Western Europe are nothing but the full spring plumage 
of Hirundo rustica. I have seen so many specimens marked in 
collections as the former bird which are nothing more than H. 
rustica, that I confess I require more positive evidence before I can 
bring myself to believe that H. riocourt occurs as other than an ac- 
cidental visitor away from Egypt and Palestine. This bemg my 
conviction, I fear that Professor Blasius has been mistaken in sup- 
posing that it breeds regularly in Western Europe and pairs with H. 
rustica. Again, however, on the other hand, the learned Professor 
states that Mr. Olph-Galliard exhibited at a meeting in Céthen a 
specimen of the supposed H, riocouri taken at St. Gothard ; and he 
also states that he had received specimens from Europe as intense in 
colour as African skins (Naumannia, 1859, p.254). As regards the 
