CHELIDON CASHMIRIENSIS, GouJd. 



CASHMERE ]\IARTIN. 



Chelidon cashmeriensis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 356 ; Adams, t. c. p. 49i ; Jcrd. B. 



Ind. i. p. 167 (1862) ; Swiuli. Ibis, 1863, p. 90 ; Gray, Haiid-1. B. i. p. 74 no. S8i 



(1869) ; Jerd. Ibis, 1871, p. 353; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. Si (1873) ; 



Swinh. Ibis, 187^, p. 152 ; Dresser, B. Eur. iii. p. 498 (1875) ; Brooks, Str. F. 



1875, p. 231 ; Prjev. in Rowley's Orn. Misc. ii. p. 163 (1877) ; David & Oust. 



Ois. Chine, p. 539 (1877) ; Hume, Str. P. 1879, p. 81 ; Eiddulpli, Ibis, 1881, p. 47, 



1882, p. 269. 

 Chelidon cashniriensis, Sliarpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. x. p. 90 (1885) ; Gigl. x\vif. 



Ital. p. 187 (1886) ; Salvad. Elencli. Ucc. Ital. p. 81 (1887). 

 Chelidon urbica (non L.), Ball, Str. P. 1878, vol. ii. p. 202 ; Butler, Str. P. 1880, 



p. 378. 

 Sirundo cashniriensis, Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 179 (1883). 



C. similis C. urbicce, sed miiioi-, subtus magis fuscescentior et cauda minus furcata disthigucnda. 



Hab. in montibus Himalavensibus nsque ad montcs Kansuenses. 



Adult male. General colour above deep blue-black, the hind neck and mantle varied with white bases ; 

 rump white tinged with smoky brown, and with faint dusky shaft-lines ; wing-coverts brownish 

 black, slightly washed with blue-black on the margins ; quills dusky blackish, the innermost 

 secondaries narrowly tipped with white ; upper tail-coverts smoky white, with dusky sliaft -lines, 

 the long ones dull blue-black ; tail-feathers blackish ; crown of head like tlie back ; lores blackish ; 

 ear-coverts and cheeks white, the upper edge of the former dusky blackish ; under surface of the 

 body dull whitish; throat, fore neck, and chest washed with smoky brown, a little darker on tlu- 

 flanks ; thighs white ; under tail-coverts white, with pale smoky-brown bases and with dusky 

 shaft-lines ; under wing-coverts and axillaries darker smoky brown, the outer small coverts edged 

 with whitish; quills below dusky brown, inner edge of quills paler; iris brown. Total length ."> 

 inches, culmen 0"3, wing \, tail 2'2, tarsus 0'5. 



Adult female. Like the male in colour. Total length 4-5 inches, wing 3-8."), tail 1-7"), tarsus 0:>. 



Oljs. Colonel Biddulph (Ibis, 1882, p. 2fi9) in writing of the dilTcrcnces between Vlulidon vrb'ira and 

 the present species speaks of the former bird as being pure white below, whereas C. ca.s/imlricnsis 

 is " dusky bencatli, with dusky mesial centres to tlie feathers of the abdomen, flanks, and nimp." 

 The dusky coloration of tlie underparts cannot be regarded as a specilic character, .-is <il(l 

 birds of C. vrh'ica in worn plumage often ]iartake of a dingy appearance on the underparls, whdr 

 the young birds always have the throat washed with smoky brown. As regards the distinctness 

 of the shaft-liues on the rump and under tail-coverts, great varialion takes |il,icc in both species : 

 sometimes it is very distinct, at other times scarcely perceptible ; and it is ipule as nuieli a cha- 

 racter of ('. urhira as of ('. easliiiiirieiisi>;. 



Chelidui) ras/iii/iric/isi.s is extrcuiclv closely allic'd to C. dasij/ms, and po-itivcly only dilfers 



