314. MR. R.B. SHARPE ON ETHIOPIAN HIRUNDINID. [May 12, 
Of this rare bird I have only seen the single specimen in the Bri- 
tish Museum, from which I have taken the above description. The 
nostrils being rather injured in this specimen, I can hardly give a 
decided opinion ; but from what I could see, I am not at all sure that 
this species is a typical Hirundo. It seems likely that Drs. Finsch 
and Heuglin, who agree in uniting the West-African with the South- 
African bird, are right in this identification ; but I cannot speak with 
certainty, as I have never seen specimens from both localities. 
12. HrirUNDO RUFULA. 
Hirundo rufula, Temm.; Brehm, Journ. f. Orn. 1853, p. 453. 
Cecropis rufula, Vierth. Naum. 1855, p. 472. 
Cecropis alpestris, Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 16 (1856). 
Hirundo alpestris, Heugl. Orn. N.-O. Afr. i. p. 158 (1869) ; 
Blanf. Abyss. p. 346 (1870). 
Head and upper part of the back rich purplish blue, with the 
usual white streaks on the top of the back; wing-coverts like the 
back, but slightly duller ; quills blackish brown, grey on the inner 
web, the outer web glossed with dull purplish blue, having a slight 
greenish tinge ; lower part of the back sienna, shading into very pale 
fulvous on the rump; upper tail-coverts rich purplish blue; tail 
blackish brown, glossed on the upper surface with purplish green ; 
space between the bill and the eye pale fulvous; a narrow line of 
feathers extending backwards over the eye, ear-coverts, sides of the 
neck, and a collar encircling the neck sienna, very deep in some 
specimens ; cheeks and entire under surface pale fulvous-white, 
covered with small longitudinal streaks marking the shaft of the 
feather, these streaks disappearing on the abdomen; the apical por- 
tion of the under tail-coverts purplish green; bill black; feet dark 
brown. Total length 7 inches, wing 4°8, tail 4-0. 
Hab. Egypt (Brehm) ; Nubia (Brehm) ; Koomayli (Blanford). 
This species is not included in Riippell’s list; but the above- 
mentioned authorities entitle it to a place in the avifauna of North- 
eastern Africa. 
I prefer keeping this species under the name of Hirundo rufula of 
Temminck, inasmuch as there can then be no doubt as to the bird 
intended, and I am pretty certain that two distinct species have been 
confounded under the variously assigned names of H. alpestris, Pall., 
H. daurica, Linn., and H. rufula, Temm. I can by no means posi- 
tively determine what the Swallow intended by the two first-named 
authors really is; but as no mention is made of the pale-coloured ramp 
which forms so striking and important a feature in the bird now 
under consideration, I cannot consider it to be identical with Pallas’s 
species. At the same time I have a specimen of H. rufula, identical 
with others from Palestine, in my collection from Dauria; but unless we 
receive positive information that no other Swallow, save H. rufula, is 
found in Dauria, whence came Pallas’s type, we gain nothing; and 
until I am in possession of a larger series of these Cecropine Swallows 
to settle the matter, I prefer to employ Temminck’s name, as then 
there can be no confusion. 
