28 LIST OF BIRDS IN MANIPUR, 



From Sadiya also we have 85ter. — H. intermedia, Hume 

 (S. F., y, 263), a fine Swallow of the alpestris and nipalensis 

 type, but I saw no specimens of this in either Cachar or Mani- 

 pur. 



?852Mai (a).— Hirundo japonica, Tern. & Schl. 



A single specimen shot close to Manipur town is thus 

 doubtfully identified. It is an adult in full plumage, and, as 

 the subjoined measurements will show, of almost exactly the 

 same size as adult males of nipalensis, but with the rump 

 band broader and strongly striated, and the whole lower 

 surface with broad striations, far broader than are ever seen 

 in nipalensis, closely resembling those of substriolata. But 

 adults in this latter species have the wings 50, 5'1 ; even a 

 young bird as above shown has it 4'9, while in this full 

 plumaged male it is only 4"6. 



Length,7"3 ; expanse, 126 ; tail, 4*0 ; wing, 4'6 ; tarsus, 0*55 ; 

 bill from gape, 0'58 ; weight, 0"9oz. Bill, legs, and feet black ; 

 irides brown. 



It is a much more massively built bird than nipalensis 

 in this respect quite like substriolata, for which I took it 

 when I shot it, but its dimensions preclude my thus assigning 

 it, and I believe it must be identified as above. 



This species has not yet been recorded from anywhere in 

 Assam, Sylhet, Cachar or B. Burmah. 



87.— Cotyle riparia, Lin. 



I first met with this near the Logtak lake, where, on the 

 19th of March, I observed a huge mixed flock of this and the 

 next species hawking over a meadow and shot a few of each 

 to make sure. Again, on the evening of the 8th of May, a 

 large flock of this present species only, appeared on the Machi 

 ridge, where I was encamped, and hawked about (flying ex- 

 tremely fast and high, so that I, with great difliculty, secured 

 a couple) until dusk. This Machi ridge is about 5,300 feet 

 where the Martins were most abundant, and except for a 

 small pond (which they did not in any way affect or notice) 

 there was no water for miles. 



Once more I saw a few hawking at eventide late in May 

 about the huge broad moat that surrounds the Raja's palace 

 at Manipur town. While, therefore, it is scarcely rare, it is, on 

 the other hand, by no means one of the common birds you meet 

 every day. 



The wings of three specimens measure : — cJ , 4*2 ; ? , 41, 4'13. 

 I have this species from N.-E. Cachar, from Sadiya, and from 



