THE BIRDS OF MESOPOTAMIA. 409 
130. Red-rumped Swallow. MHirundo daurica. 
Hirundo daurica rufula (Temm. Man. d’Orn. 2, Ed. 3, p. 298, 1835— 
Egypt). 
This species appears to be rare ; Pitman saw two on passage at Feluja on March 
26th and Cheesman met with several pairs at Maidan-i-Napthun on May 28th 
and found colonies on two occasions in caves bordering on a stream. Tomlinson 
recorded two pairs near Ahwaz in April 1908 and also two pairs building at Shustar 
on April 19th and thinks the latter were driven away by Common Swallows which 
were nesting there. Zarudny lists it as a winter visitor and passing migrant in 
small numbers in the Karun district. 
131. House Martin. Delichon urbica. 
The only records are those of Buxton who says that this species arrived at 
Amara on April 5th, 1918, and remained till May 5th. Weigold noted it in Syria. 
on April 30th but not within the borders of Mesopotamia. It apparently is 
a scarce passage migrant. No specimens obtained and so I leave it under the 
binomial name. 
132. Sand Martin. Riparia riparia. 
Riparia riparia riparia, L. (Syst. Nat. Ed. x, p. 192, 1758—Sweden). 
This is a common summer visitor to the Euphrates and Tigris, building in 
suitable places. It arrives in the last days of March and migrants pour in during 
the whole of April, some to remain, others passing north. A few may be seen 
earlier in March as I saw one at Basra on the 18th and two more near Shat-el- 
Arab L. Vessel on the 20th ; Cheesman noted first arrivals on the 29th at Sheik 
Saad, and Pitman on the 30th at Kut. 
At Fatah Gorge, Cheesman saw a great migration on April 18th following the 
line of Jubel Hamrin. It breeds in the steeper banks of the rivers in numbers, 
there being colonies at intervals all the way from Kurna to Baghdad, Logan 
Home noted tunnelling operations on June 6th at Daur and fresh eggs were ob- 
tained on June 14th. At the end of June great numbers began to collect into 
flocks and probably some move off during July and August ; in September great 
numbers are still to be found these left being doubtless reinforced by passage 
migrants from elsewhere ; most have gone by the third week in October, but 
Cumming at Fao recorded it in every month except January and February. 
Five skins examined: ¢, Amara, 7-9-18, W. 109 d, 3-9-18, gd, 14-4-18, W. 109, 
(P. A. B); Kurna, 4-7-17, W. 100 (P. Z. C. and R. E. C.), I cannot separate these 
inany way from the typical European race. 
133. Pale Crag Martin. Riparia obsoleta. 
Riparia obsoleta, Cab. (Mus. Hein. 1, p. 50. 1850—N. E. Africa.) 
Recorded by Zarudny as a passage migrant in the Karun district. 
134. Syrian Woodpecker. Dryobates syriacis. 
Dryobates syriacus, H. and, E. (Symb. Phys. Aves fol. 1., 1833— 
Mt. Lebanon). 
Weigold records odd ones in April at Urfa where he supposes it is resident. 
No records elsewhere. Common in the Zagros. 
135. Wryneck. Jynx torquilla. 
Jyna torquilla torquilla, L. (Syst. Nat. Ed. x, 1, p. 112, 1758—Sweden). 
Not very common, or else overlooked, as a passage migrant. Cheesman met 
with four cn autumn migration at Gurmat Ali and Logan Home saw three at 
Basra on September 18th ; Buxton saw two at Baghdad on September 24th and 
29th. It is recorded from Samarra on April 5th, Logan Home saw it at Basra 
in the third week of April; Cheesman records it at Ahwaz on April 29th 
and May 24th. Weigold noted it at Urfa also in mid-April. 
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