92 BUF0U8 SWALLOW. 



that its home must be one of the mountainous countries situated between 

 Egypt and India, probably the mountains in the south of Armenia 

 or Persia. I exclude for the present the hypothesis of Barbary, as 

 it has not yet been met with in Algeria or Spain." 



" As far as we know of H. rufula, and until we can in a more 

 positive manner determine the differences which age may introduce 

 between this species and its congeners, it is distinguished from H. 

 daurica by the exceedingly fine brown streaks on the inferior parts 

 of the body, by the larger russet collar, and by the russet of the 

 rump, which passes decidedly into a whitish tint posteriorly. 



"It is distinguished from melanocrissa by the presence at all ages 

 of the streaks on the under parts; by the absence of the anal russet 

 border; by the less deep russet of the collar; by the brighter red 

 on the rump passing into white posteriorly; and by the whitish spot 

 which almost always is found oh the external tail feather." 



Since the above was written by M. de Selys, we have further 

 accounts of this bird, which not only verify his prognostication as 

 to the true country, but appear to remove all doubts as to the 

 identity of H. rufula and H. daurica. I allude to the observations 

 of Mr. Tristram, before noticed, that it entirely takes the place 

 of H. rustica in the Holy Land and in Egypt. Also to the still 

 more important and interesting account given of H. rufula by Mr. 

 Simpson, (Ibis, vol. ii., p. 288,) where he describes it as inhabiting 

 Missolonghi and Southern ^tolia, and further gives some most interesting 

 accounts of its nidification in Western Greece, in the same volume, 

 p. 386. Mr. Simpson describes the e^g as white, which is further 

 proof of the identity of this bird with H. daurica. 



M. Ed. de Selys-Longchamps has very kindly sent me his Grecian 

 specimen, which I have had very carefully figured; and through the 

 kindness of Mr. Tristram, I am also able to figure one of the eggs 

 taken by Mr. Simpson in Greece. M. De Selys accompanied the 

 specimen with some valuable remarks, from which I extract the 

 following : — 



• "As to Hirundo rufula, my statements are quite verified as to its 

 country being the mountains of Eastern Asia, since Mr. Tristram 

 (Ibis, vol. i., p, 27,) indicates it as the Common Swallow in the Holy 

 Land. It must, however, be added to this that it inhabits Greece 

 regularly, and not accidentally. (Ibis, Oct., 1860, p. 386, Mr. 

 Simpson.) This observer gives valuable information in saying the 

 eggs are quite white, like those of H. tirhica: It is then more than 

 probable that M. Lunel made a mistake when he said they were 

 spotted. This discovery as to the eggs and that of its true country, 



