BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 43 



However, although I consider the occurrence of true hor- 

 reorum in Tenasserim very doubtful, Lord Walden's identifica- 

 tion may be correct,* and I quote from Swainson a full descrip- 

 tion of the species, which after all is itself doubtfully distinct 

 from the South American erythrog aster, Bodd. 



" Male." 



" Colors. — Forehead, throat, and upper part of the breast pale 

 chestnut ; rest of the under plumage yellowish brown ; top 

 of the head and neck, dorsal plumage, lesser coverts and sides 

 of the breast deeply glossed with violet-purple ; the base of 

 the plumage of these parts being grey, the middle greyish 

 white and pitch black, next the purple tips ; quills, greater 

 coverts, and tail blackish brown, with dark green reflexions ; 

 all the tail feathers, but the central pair, having a large white 

 spot on the middle of their inner webs ; bill black ; irides 

 dark brown ; legs blackish purple. 



"The female has the under-plumage paler, the purple of the 

 back less vivid, and the exterior tail feathers a quarter of an 

 inch shorter. 



tl Dimensions. 



Inch. Lin. 

 length, total ... 7 3 



„ of tail ... 3 6 



„ o f t a i 1 in 



middle ... 2 

 „ of wing ... 4 8 



Inch. Lin. 

 Length of hill ahove 3 

 „ of bill to rict- 

 us ... 7| 

 „ of tarsus ... 6 

 „ of middle toe 5 



Inch. Lin. 

 Length of middle 



nail .. 21 



„ of hind toe... 3 

 „ of its nail... 2V' 



83.— Hirundo javanica, Sparrm. (3.) 



Mergui. 



Rare in Tenasserim, probably confined to the more southern 

 portions of the province. 



[I met with a few of this species at Mergui in June, but 

 they were by no means numerous. They were, I believe, then 

 migrating. I never saw them elsewhere in Tenasserim, but 

 they are the commonest Swallow all the year round on the 

 Nilgheris breeding in every out-house. — W. D.] 



84.— Hirundo filifera, Steph. (2.) 



(Tonglioo, Hams.) Pahpoon. 



Apparently only occurring in the north of Tenasserim. 



[I found this species flying over the paddy-fields in small 

 numbers at Pahpoon and secured a couple. I did not notice 

 it elsewhere in the province. — W. D.] 



* It has since occurred to me that Lord Walden may have intended to suppress 

 tytteri altogether. It undoubtedly runs very close to horreorum, and some immature 

 specimens from America and Eastern Bengal are inseparable, but this has not been 

 the case with any adult full-plumaged specimens that I have examined. 



