where they were flying about in considerable numbers. In tlio Hume collpction is a 

 specimen obtained in Gurwhal in December, and also one procured in native Sikhim in 

 April by the late Mr. Mandelli's hunters. Dr. Jerdon has also stated that he procured 

 one at Darjiling. The only naturalist who has as yet procured specimens in India awav 

 from the Himalayas is Mr. W. T. Blanford, wlio met Avith the sj)ecies in the Bilaspur 

 district in the Central Provinces. 



The following account of the species was given 1)y the late General Prjevalski in 

 his memoir on the ' Birds of Mongolia ' : — 



" Was found in great numbers in the Ala-shan mountains and in Kan-su. In S.E. 

 Mongolia they are rather scarce; they might possibly breed in Hara-narin-ul, but 

 certainly do not occur in Muni-ul at any other time than during migration. It avoids 

 the habitations of man, and keeps to the wild rocks of lofty mountains. In Kan-su, for 

 instance, it breeds mostly in the alpine region, at heights from 10,000 to 12,000 feet 

 above the sea ; it is very rare in the median zone, and descends to the low parts when in 

 search of food. 



"The nests, several in a row, are stuck to overhanging rocks, and by their shape 

 resemble those of Uirundo gutturalis. On the 25th of June I climbed up to two, and 

 found in one of them two and in the other four vouns:, almost fledsred. 



" In Kan-su the first birds arrived on the 20tli of April, and left about the middle of 

 August. We at this time observed tolerably large flocks flying southward." 



The single specimen obtained by General Prjevalski has been most kindly submitted 

 to us by Dr. Pleske, and we find that it is in every way identical with Himalayan 

 specimens. 



Tlie species has also been recorded from Italy by Professor Giglioli, a specimen 

 having been obtained near Florence on the 13th of October, 1885, wliich the abovi^- 

 nanied naturalist is inclined to refer to C. cashmiriensis. Count Salvador!, however, 

 believes that the characters quoted indicate that the bird in question was only a small 

 variety of the Common Martin. 



The descriptions are taken from specimens in the British Museum, and the figures 

 are drawn from examples in the Hume collection. 



•1 V. 



