166 Contnhdions to the Ornithology of India, ^r. 



darkness of coloration throughout with specimens from Ger- 

 many/^ 



All the specimens that I actually secured (for the bird 

 scarcely ever ventured within shot) were young birds of the harbct- 

 tus type ; but I specially noticed the occurrence along- with these 

 of one or two decidedly darker birds, which doubtless were 

 adults. I watched these birds very closely with a binocular at 

 both Kurrachee and Muscat^ and set down the dark birds as ajms, 

 and the lighter ones as a new species, but after reading up the 

 passages above referred to, and comparing my specimens with 

 one specimen of aj^^is from Cashmere, and a series of this species 

 from Europe, I entertain no doubt that both dark and light 

 birds belong to one and the same species, the former being adults^ 

 the latter being birds of from five to nine months old. 



I observed this swift about the rocky headland of Munora 

 which guards the mouth of the Kurrachee Harbour and there shot 

 two specimens, male and female, which measured respectively, 

 Male, length, 6"8 ; expanse, 16; wing, &•% ; tail from vent, 

 2*9 ', closed wing reached to 1'4 beyond end of tail ; weight, 

 1'2 oz. Female, length, 6 "75; expanse, 15*75; wing, 6"3 ; tail 

 from vent, 3'8 ; closed wing reached to 1"S beyond end of tail ; 

 weight, 1'12 oz. 



I observed these again off almost every one of the rocky 

 headlands along the Mekran Coast as far as Gwader, and again 

 I olJserved numbers about the cliffs of Muscat, and there shot 

 three more specimens. 



100.— Cypselus affinis, J. E. Gray. III. Ind. 



Zool. pi. 35, Fig. 2. G. ahyssmicus, Hempr. JEhrh. ; 

 and G. galilmensis. Antin. 



The white rumped swift was met with once or twice in parties 

 between Jhelum and Kussmore, but from Kussmore throughout 

 Upper Sindh to Sehwan, I never saw it. At Sehwan, Kotree, and 

 Hyderabad, it was abundant, and from Kurrachee again I met 

 with it, wherever we landed, to Gwader. 



At Muscat it was specially abundant. 



My friend Dr. O. Finsch remarks, " Dr. Sclater has already 

 pointed out the identity of the Indian and African specimens 

 of this species (Proc. Zool. Soc, 1865, p. 603.) After having 

 examined numerous specimens from India, Palestine, Sennabar, 

 (s. n. caffer in Mus. Hein.,) the Blue Nile, Anamaboe (Gold Coast) 

 St. Thome, Ilha do Principe, and the Cape, I am quite of the 

 same opinion as Dr. Sclater, and can give some further additions 

 to the knowledge of this species. 



" The variableness in the intensity of coloring; the greater or 



