obtained by Capt. Trevelyan at Kiugwilliamstown. Dr. Holub records it from the 

 Orange Free State. 



In Xatal, according to Captain Slielley, it is very common, arriviii"', as vrc are in- 

 formed by Mr. Thomas Ayres, in October or November, and leaving again in March ur 

 April. "We have received many specimens from Mr. T. L. Ayres, who procured them in 

 the neighbourhood of Pinetown. Majors Butler and Feilden and Captain Reid state that 

 near Newcastle it arrived rather later than S. nlbigularis, being seen on the 22nd of 

 October, when it became very abundant and nested. 



Mr. Tliomas Ayres has also met with the species in the Transvaal, near Potchefstroom, 

 and also in the Lydenburg district, and the late Mr. Prank Gates procured a specuncu 

 at Tati, in the Matabele country, in October. Dr. Holub states that it occurs throuirii- 

 out Bechuana Land as far as the Zambesi ; and Mr. Ayres saw it in ]iIashoona Land in 

 September, October, and December, but procured no specimens. 



On the western side of the South-African region, Senhor Anchieta has forn-arded it 

 from Huilla and the Coroca Ptiver in Mossamedes, but did not meet with it durinir his 

 sojourn on the Cuuene Eiver. The late C. J. Andersson, however, procured it in Damara 

 Land, where, he says, it is not very common, usually arriving later than Ilirundo diinkliola. 



Lefebvre has stated that he met with the species in Abyssinia near Adowa ; but \\c 

 agree with the late Baron von Heuglin that its actual occurrence is extremely doubtful. 



Mr. Layard gives the following notes on the habits of this species : — " This is the 

 household Swallow of the colony, breeding freely about the houses and in the country, 

 often selecting the usual living-room of the family. In the city this familiarity is not 

 permitted, on account of the dirt made by the birds ; but the Boer fi-xes up a l)oard under 

 the nest, to prevent the worst fouling, and considers that the rest is atoned lur \)\ the 

 destruction of the myriads of flies, of whicli his little favourites rid him during the season 

 of their stay. And only those who have sojourned in a Boer's house can estimate tlic 

 plague of flies that infest it : they swarm on " bed and board ; " they pollute the food 

 and drink ; chairs, tables, walls, everything is blackened by them. No woudrr, then, 

 that the Swallow is a welcome guest, and that to rub his nest is to get into the bad 

 books of every member of the family. 



" As you sit at meals, the graceful bird hawks over tlu" tal)le, and snatches the (lies 

 from the walls and ceiling ; nor is this the only service he reiulcrs, for, sitting on tiie top 

 of the window or door (always left open for his acconnuodation), he pours out a sluirt I)Ut 

 lively song, wliich enliv(>ns the dreary solitude and silence of the lone homestead. 



" The nest of tiiis s])ccies is always attached to the undrrsidc of the place chosen, and 

 is composed of little pellets of mud, likr tli;it of tlie Mn-lish Swallow. In shape it re- 

 sembles a gourd with a long neck, cut throUL;h lon-if udinally and slued nji \>\ tiie edges 

 to the ceiling. The eggs are four oi' live and pure while: ;ixis, Id"; diain. fl'. 



"The Kev. John Pry, of lloudeboseh. once related lo n>< a siuLTular instance of the 

 reasoning powers of this Swallow. Tlii> tube of a nest in his haih-rooni fell down. :ind 

 was not replaced by the ohl birds, who had hrought wy their young, till witliiu a few 



