Jlirnndo hoissoneauti mhwr, A. E. Brehm, t. c. p. 3 (1860). 

 ILirundo rustica, yar. cahlrica, Doderl. Avif. Sicil. 1869, p. 114. 

 Hirundo rustica, var. savignii, Bree, B. Eur. iv. p. 85 (1875). 

 Chelidon savignii, Steju. Pr. U.S. Nat. Mvis. vi. p. 31 (1882). 



H. similis H. rustica:, sed fascia frontali et corpore subtiis castaneis. 

 Hab. iu terra ^Egyptiaca. 



Adult male. General colour above deep purplish blue, the liind neck and mantle slightly varied with 

 the rufous-white bases to tlie feathers ; wing-coverts like the back ; quills black, glossed externally 

 with dull greenish steel-bkie; tail-feathers black, also glossed with steel-blue, with a rufescent 

 spot on tlie inner web, larger on the outer feather ; crown of the head like the back, with a frontal 

 band of dark chestnut ; lores and feathers below the eye black ; ear-coverts blue-blaek ; entire 

 under surface of body deep chestnut, the throat richer in colour and separated from the breast 

 by a broad band of deep purplish blue across the fore neck ; under tail-coverts, under wing- 

 coverts, and axillaries like the breast ; quills dusky below. Total length 6'4 inches, culmen 0'35, 

 •wing 4-5, tail 3'6, tarsus 0-4. 



A specimen from Girgeh, killed in March, is of a more intense chestnixt than any others we 

 have seen ; the rufous bases to the dorsal feathers are very strongly pronounced, and form a very 

 conspicuous feature. 



Hab. Egypt. 



This species closely resembles the Common Chimney-Swallow, but is easily distinguished 

 ])y its deep chestnut forehead and nnderparts. The otiier chestnut-breasted Swallows of 

 this group do not have a complete breast-band. 



It is a resident in Egypt and Nubia, and although it has been recorded from many 

 other countries of Europe, even from England, there can be little doubt that fine males 

 of Hirundo rustica in spring plumage have been mistaken for the Egyptian form . The 

 male of B. rustica, on its arrival in this country, is often beautifully tinged with rufous 

 underneath, but never has such a deep chestnut under surface as H. savignii. Mr. Styan's 

 notice of the species in China (P. Z. S. 1886, p. 268) refers of course to H. tytleri. 



Captain Shelley writes : — 



" This species is resident in Egypt and very abundant. It differs from the last 

 species {R. rustica) in not being migratory, and it keeps more exclusively to the neigh- 

 bourhood of houses, usually selecting the inside of some native mud-hut for its nest, 

 which it beo-ius to construct in Eebruarv." 



Mr. E. C. Taylor states that he found the present species resident in Egypt through- 

 out the winter ; and von Heuglin found it breeding in that country between January 

 and April, but records that it does not occur further south than 25''' N. lat. The nests 

 are met wi th in towns and villages, placed under rafters, in the corners of windows, and 

 elsewhere in inhabited buildings, as well as in tombs, wells, and mosques. He did not 



