Cecropis eryihropygia (nee Sykes), Blytk, B. Burrn. p. 127 (1875) ; Blakist. & Pryer, 



B. Japan, p. 139 (1878). 

 Lillia arctivitta, Hume, Str. E. v. pp. 261, 266 (1877). 

 Lillia japonica, Hume, Str. E. v. p. 261 (1877). 

 Lillia nipalensis, Hume, Str. E. v. p. 262 (1877). 

 Hirundo arctivitta, Oates, Hanclb. B. Br. Burin, i. p. 306 (1883). 

 Hirundo alpestris, |3. nipalensis, Seebokm, Ibis, 1883, p. 169. 

 Mirundo alpestris, Seebokm, Birds of Japan. Emp. p. 142 (1890). 

 Hirundo alpestris nipalensis, Seebokm, t. c. p. 113 (1890). 



H. similis H. dauricee et subtus paullo rufescens, sed rnulto minor, ala breviore : subtus distincte striata. 



Hab. in insulis Japonicis et in China, in montibus Himalayanis : in peninsula Indica et in regione 

 Indo-Burmanica tota hibernans. 



Adult male. General colour above dark purplish blue, streaked with white where the white bases show 

 through; the wing-coverts like the back; bastard- wing, primary-coverts, and quills blackish, 

 glossed externally witli steel-blue ; rump and upper tail-coverts cinnamon-rufous, with distinct 

 narrow black shaft-lines, the long coverts dark purplish blue, with light rufous bases ; tail- 

 feathers black, glossed with steel-blue ; crown of head dark purplish blue like the back ; over the 

 eye a few rufous feathers ; sides of the hinder crown deep rufous, converging towards the nape, 

 but not forming a distinct collar, the nape-plumes being blue edged with rufous; lores whitish, 

 tipped with dusky; ear-coverts smoky brown, slightly tinged with rufous and broadly streaked 

 with dusky brown ; cheeks and throat dull white, broadly streaked with blackish, more distinctly 

 on the latter ; remainder of the under surface pale rufescent buff, very distinctly streaked with 

 black ; sides of upper breast purplish blue ; thighs rather white ; under tail-coverts like the 

 abdomen, the lower ones blue-black with pale rufescent bases and black shaft-lines ; lateral under 

 tail-coverts white, with black shaft-lines and a distinct oval spot of blue-black near the tip ; 

 axillaries and under wing-coverts rufescent buff, all with distinct black shaft-lines, broader on 

 the outer under wing-coverts ; quills below dusky, paler along the inner web : " bill black ; feet 

 dusky ; claws black ; iris blackish brown " (J. Scully) . Total length 7"4 inches, culmen 0"4, 

 wing 4 - 55, tail 4, tarsus - 65. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in colour. Total length 7'3 inches, culmen 035, wing 4 - 5, tail 3 - 7, 

 tarsus 0"6. 



Young. Differs from the adult in its duller blue plumage, and in having narrow whitish edges to the 

 inner secondaries: " bill black, the base of the lower mandible and gape fleshy yellow; feet 

 dusky brownish ; claws yellow ; iris brownish black " (J. Scully) . 



Hab. Southern Islands of Japan, China, Himalaya Mountains. Wintering in the Peninsula of India 

 and the Burmese countries. 



In this species the lengtk of tke wing varies from 4 - 3 to 4/75 and even 4 # 8 inckes, so 

 that in this respect it attains to tke dimensions of H. daurica, from which, indeed, it 

 is difficult to separate the species specifically. The streakings of tke underparts are 



