CHELIDON NIPALENSIS (J/oo/-.). 



HIMALAYAN MARTIN. 



Lelichon nipulensis, Hodgs. Icon. ined. Brit. Mus., App. pi. xiv. (uo. 9G3) ; ^Nloove, 

 P. Z. S. 1854, p. 104, pi. Ixiii. ; Horsf. & Moore, Cat. B. E. I. Co. Mus. i. p. 3s4 

 (1854) ; Swiub. Ibis, 1863, p. 90 ; Gould, B. Asia, i. pl. 31 (1868) ; Hume, Str. R 

 1879, p. 84, 1888, p. 29. 



Chelidon nipalensis, Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 168 (1862) ; Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 74, no. 885 

 (1869) ; Blanf. J. A. S. Beng. xli. p. 156 (1872) ; Dresser, B. Eur. iii. p. 499 

 (1875) ; Godwin- Austen, J. A. S. B. xlv. pt. 2, pp. 68, 193 (1876) ; Sharpe, Cat. 

 Birds in Brit. Mus. x. p. 95 (1885). 



Hirundo nipctlensis, Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 179 (1883). 



C. Cauda quadrata : subcaudalibus nigris. 



Hub. in subregione Himalayensi usque ad provinciam Manipurensem. 



Adult male. General colour above glossy blue-black, with a slight mottling on the hind neck and 

 mantle, produced by the ivhite bases to the feathers showing through ; wiug-coverts glossy 

 blue-black like the back, the primary-coverts and quills black, washed with glossy blue-black on 

 the edges ; rump white, the lower feathers barred with black tips ; upper tail-coverts glossy 

 blue-black, the basal ones white, tipped broadly with blue-black ; tail-feathers black glossed witti 

 steel-blue; lores, feathers round the eye, and chin velvety black; checks, ear-coverts, and throat 

 glossy blue-black ; remainder of under surface from lower throat downwards white, the feathers 

 on the former part slightly mottled with blackish bases ; flanks slightly washed with smoky 

 brown ; sides of upper breast blue-black ; thighs and tarsal plumes white ; under tail-covcrts 

 glossy blue-black ; under wing-coverts and axillaries blackish, glossed with bluo-black ; (niills 

 dusky below, paler along edge of inner web. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 0'25, wing 3'G, 

 tail 1-4, tarsus 0'45. 



Adult female. Similar in colour to the male. Total length 4 inches, culmen 0'3, wing 3" 15, tail l-3o, 

 tarsus 0'45. 



The series of specimens in the Hume eollection in the British ^luseum exhibits considerable difference 

 as regards the colour of the throat and the amount of barring on the rump. Some liirds liavc a 

 black throat, and some liave the tliroat white, and wc have not been able to satisfy oursi'lves that 

 tliese differences in the colour of tlie throat depend on the season of the year; for the British 

 Museum possesses specimens procured in January, April, Jidy, and from August to December, 

 in none of which can we discover any sign of variation between specimens killed iu winter 

 and summer. The nesting-season is prolxibly the same as that of the more northern Martins, 

 and the moulting-tiiuc (as shown by the Hume specimens) is in .Vugust and SeiUember; hut 



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