HIRUNDO ^THIOPICA, jf. Bianf. 



BLANFOED'S SWALLOW. 



Sirundo ruffrous {-aonY .),'Dc?,'^inv8 in Lefebvr. Voy. Abyss. Zool. ji. 7">(1S1.'): 



Heugl. J. f. O. 1861, p. 420, 1868, p. 168; nartm. J. f. O. isci, p. I'yi. 

 Cecropis ruffrons (non V.), Vierth. Naum. 1853, p. 21 ; Brehni, J. f. U. ls,j.3, p. 1-53, 



Extrali. p. 96; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 16; Vierth. Kaum. 1857. p. IKt; Ei-cliin, 



Reis. Habesch, p. 209 (1863). 

 Rirundo cdbigidaris (nee Strield ), Heugl. Oru. X.O.-Al'r. i. p. 153 (1809). 

 JSirimdo cethiopica, Blanf. Ami. & Mag. Nat. Hist. iv. p. 329 (1869) ; Gray, llaud-l. 



B. i. p. 401, no. 794« (18G9) ; Blanf. Geol. & Zool. Abyss, p. 31-7, pi. 2 (1^70); 



Finsch, Tr. Z. S. vii. p. 218 (1870) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 309 ; id. Cat. Afr. W. 



p. 46, no. 432 (1871) ; Antin. & Salvad. Viagg. Bogos, p. 72 (1873) ; Cal). .1. f. (). 



1878, p. 223 ; Fischer & Beichen. t. c. p. 257 ; iid. op. cit. 1879, p. 341; 8helley, 



Ibis, 1883, p. 547 ; Fischer in Madarasz, Zeitschr. ges. Oru. i. p. 357 (lbS4) ; 



Sharpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. x. p. 146 (1885). 



/f. uropygio plleoque caeruleis, dorso coucoloribus ; froute castanea; gula alljicantc \iA pallido fulva ; 

 torque prfepectorali intcrrupta. 



Hab. in Africa septentrionali-orientali et orientali ct in Africa occidcntali cis-equatoriali. 



Adult female (type of species). General colour above purplish blue, slightly varied with icrcyi^li white 

 bases to the feathers of the upper mantle ; wing-coverts like the back, with a i;reyish-\vhite spot 

 on the inner web of the innermost greater coverts ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills 

 blackish, externally glossed with steel-blue; upper tail-coverts like the back; tail-feathers 

 blackish, glossed with steel-blue, all but the centre feathers having a rounded wliiie spot on their 

 inner web, rather more ovate on the outermost feather; crown of head like the back, with a broad 

 frontal band of rufous; lores blackish ; ear-coverts black, glossed with blue; eheeks and throat 

 pale rufesceut buff; remainder of the under surface creamy white, witli a eresceutie mark of 

 purplish blue on the sides of the chest, forming a half-eoUar ; sides of body slightly sliaded witli 

 ashy; thiglis and under tail-eoverts creamy white ; under wing-coverts and aKillaries like the 

 breast; (luills below dusky, a little more ashy along the inner edge: " i)ill and feet idaek ; iris 

 brown " {Fischer). Total length 5*2 inches, culmen 0-3o, wing l-:?, tail :J:J, lar.Mis ()• \. 



Tlie adult male does not diifer in colour from the female. Total length ."cr inches, enlnu'n ();i.'., \\ ing II, 

 tail I 7)7) (longest feather 2'(J), tarsus ()-|. 



The young bird differs from the adult in being dusky Idaekish, merely i;lo>sfd wilii pur|ilish libn-, willi 

 obsolete pale edges of sandy brown, the iiuills :ind lail-fcallieis niai-ginul with ashy whitish at the 

 tips; base of forehead and a line over the eye [laie r\dous, Iml nul furniing a frontal hand; 



