THE BIRDS OF NORTH CACHAR. 145 



(330) Hikundo kustica. — The Swallow. 

 Oates, No. 813 ; Hume, No. 82. 

 There is no bird in North Cachar which is an absolute typical 

 H. rustica, still there are many which are nearer to this than to the 

 next species. I say species, as Oates puts them as such, and I am fol- 

 lowing his classification ; but I do not for a moment consider the birds 

 distinct myself. 



(331) H. guttuealis.— The Eastern Swallow. 

 Oates, No. 87 ; Hume, No. 82 Bis. and No. 82 Quat. 

 Common all over North Cachar, breeding in large numbers in the 

 Naga villages. 1 have a bird of this species, with a pure white chin 

 and throat, the lower throat, next the pectoral band, being mottled with 

 rufous. I have yet another bird, which is a hybrid between this type 

 and H. daurica or H. nepalensis ; the striations are perfect and the tail 

 is marked like that of H rustica or H. gutturalis. 



(332) H. tytleel— Tytler's Swallow. 

 Oates, No. 815; Hume, No. 82 Ter. 

 I have seen very few of these birds ; but Mr. H. A. Hole says, in a 

 late number of the Asian : tl I have only seen them in any numbers 

 during the cold weather," so I presume they are common about 

 Jellalpur during that season, and comparatively rare during the hot 

 weather and rains. 



(333) H. smithh. — The Wire-tailed Swallow. 

 Oates, No. 818; Hume, No. 84. 

 I have only noticed this bird as a migrant through North Cachar, 

 and I do not think it ever breeds here. 



(334) H. striolata. — The Japanese Striated Swallow. 

 Oates, No. 820; Hume, No. 85 Quat. 

 This is one of the swallows, specimens of which are often difficult 

 to identify correctly ; personally, I do not consider this form and 

 H. nepalensis distinct, and have birds with wing measurement interme- 

 diate between the limits assigned by Oates to either bird. 



A nest was brought to me together with a male typical H. striotala^ 

 which was said to have been caught on it. The nest was just like 

 that of H. rustica, but very bulky, and was built on a rafter in the 

 guest house of the village. I should have expected the eggs of 

 this bird to be white, but the four the nest contained were very boldly 



