RUFOUS SWALLOW. 91 



Abyssinia. It is wrongly named by him 'alpestrisj' -which name 

 belongs to a nearly allied species of Eastern Asia. This species has 

 the same habits as the Common Swallow. According to Gerbe a 

 pair nested near Avignon. The eggs were white, covered with rosy 

 points, more numerous and disposed in a circle near the larger ex- 

 tremity. In form and dimensions it does not differ from those of the 

 Common Swallow. It would be interesting to know if it is truly 

 stated that some individuals of this species nested upon the cornices 

 of the ancient temple of Segesta in Sicily. I consider that the bird 

 called by Doderlein H. caliirica ought to be referred to this species." 



Deputy Surgeon-General Stewart thus writes to me about the bird, 

 "In January, 18Ti2, near Belgauni, in the Southern Mahratta Country, 

 I saw a very large swarm of this Swallow. I was walking along the 

 road in the early morning, and the telegraph wire was covered for 

 the space of more than a mile, (I measured it), more or less thickly 

 with them, while numbers on the wing were flitting about their 

 comrades. They had probably rested there all night. I cannot 

 guess or attempt to estimate their numbers, but I never saw so 

 many birds of any kind together before." 



Mr. Tristram remarks, (Ibis, vol. i., p. 26,) "jET. rufula appears to be 

 the Common Swallow of the Holy Land. I cannot be sure that I saw H. 

 rustica at all, though possibly it might not yet (April) have returned from 

 the south." 



De Selys (op. cit.) remarks about its real country as follows: — "The 

 question was formerly asked from whence came our Domestic Swallows ? 

 It is now known they pass the winter in Africa; but this question may be 

 still asked with good reason as to H. rufula. From whence does it 

 depart, and what is its true country? No ornithologist has yet (1855) 

 been able to answer this question. We only know the bird from its 

 accidental appearance on the shores of the Mediterranean. Those who 

 took it for li. daurica, (H. alpestris, Pall.,) thought it came from 

 Siberia, and this presumption might be justified by the simultaneous 

 appearance in the same parts of the Mediterranean of many Siberian 

 birds, such as Embey^iza rustica, E. aureola, E. pityornus, E. pusilla, 

 Accentor calliope, etc.; but if rufula is very nearly allied to daurica, 

 there is still a difference between them; nor has it yet been found in 

 Russia, or upon the coasts of the Black Sea. Prince Bonaparte seemed 

 to have settled the question, by claiming its identity with H. melatio- 

 crissa of Abyssinia, but unfortunately we have seen that they are 

 distinct." 



"^ H. rufula being as we may say intermediate between H. daurica and 

 H. melanocrissa, I am led to believe, in the absence of further proof. 



