HIRUNDO ANGOLENSIS, ^.c.,y. 



ANGOLA SWALLOW. 



Hinindo angolensis, Bocage, Joru. Lisb. ISGS, p. 17 ; Sharpe, Proc. Zool. Soc. IbOU, 

 p. 567, pi. 43 ; Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1869, p. 339 ; Gray, IIand-1. B. i. p. 69, no. 791- 

 (1869); Sbarpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 307 ; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 46 (1871) ; Bocage, Orn. 

 Angola, p. 180 (1881) ; Sbarpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 364 (1883) ; id. Cat. Birds 

 in Brit. Mus. x. p. 145 (1885). 



H. tergo purpurascenti-cseruleo ; pileo dorso con colore ; froiite rufa ; al;\ 17, ultra caudam producta : 

 recti'icibus intus albo notatis, maculis albis magnis, subcaudalibus fumosis. 



Hab. in provincia Angolensi Africfe occidentalis. 



Adult male. General colour above brilliant steel-blue, the \ving-coverts like the back ; greater coverts, 

 bastard-wing, primary-coverts", and quills black, externally steel-blue, slightly glossed with greeu ; 

 tail-feathers blue-black, with a lai'ge ovate mark of white on the inner web, somewhat decreasing 

 in size towards the centre of the tail ; forehead chestnut ; lores and feathers in front of the eye 

 velvety black ; ear-coverts steel-blue, like the crown ; cheeks, throat, and chest chestnut, the sides 

 of the latter steel-blue, forming a crescent, which, however, does not meet across the chest ; 

 remainder of under surface of body smoky brown, darker on the sides of the body, somewhat 

 whiter on the centre of the abdomen ; vent washed with rufous ; thighs and under tail-coverts 

 smoky brown, the latter tipped with reddish white, the long ones with a subtermiual bar of blue- 

 black; axillaries and under wing-coverts dark smoky brown ; quills blackish below. Total Icngtli 

 6 inches, culmen 0'4, wing 3"9, tail 2'35, tarsus O'-i. 



Hub. Angola and Mossamedes. 



The range of tbis Swallow appears to be very limited, as it lias not been met with 

 hitherto outside the limits of the Portuguese province of Angola in Western Africa. Ir 

 was originally discovered by the well-knoAvn traveller Ancbicta at Pungo Audongo and 

 Ambaea in Angola proper, and the late Mr. Monteiro also procured specimens at Aiuhriz 

 in March and April 1869. Senhor Anchieta afterwards met wiih it at lluilla in .Mos-a- 

 medes, but it has not been observed south of the river Cuik'hc. 



It is easily distinguished i'rom Uirundo nislicc, not only by tlu- dilTcrciit jn-oportions 

 of the Avings and tail, but by tlic smoky-brown colour of the lower parts. In Inim ii 

 very much resembles II. Iticida from Seneganil)ia, but is altogether of a dullrr hluc, ;iiiil 

 is easily recognized from that species by the colour of the uiidir l;iil-covt its. Its real 

 allies arc to be found in the Eastern species Ilirundu javunirit and //. ncu.veua ; l)ut IVom 



