4 



of Manipur. I found this species about Karimganj in Sylhet, and have received it from 

 N.E. Cachar, but (though it doubtless occurs) from no other place in the valley of 

 Assam." Mr. Hume considered that he also obtained II. japonica and II. substriolata 

 in Manipur, but all his specimens must be referred to H. nipalensls. Major Wardlaw 

 Ramsay procured an example in the Karen Hills in March. Specimens from Pegu are 

 in the British Museum, and Mr. Oates says that it is found in winter over the whole of 

 British Burmah and is the only Swallow which is common. In Tenasserim it is 

 sparingly distributed in suitable localities. Mr. Davison says : — " I only saw these 

 Swallows in the extreme north and south of the province. They affect open grassy 

 slopes, and these are not common elsewhere." Mr. Davison's localities for the species 

 are : — Pahpoon, Moulmein, Pakchan, Bankasun, and Malewun. Fea met with it at 

 Kaukaryit. According to Dr. Tiraud it is found also in Cochin China. 



As far as we know, the present species is spread over the greater part of China. 

 Dr. McKinlay has sent it from Shanghai, and Mr. Swinhoe has procured it at Amoy and 

 Chefoo. He states that it breeds in China, and he believes that it inhabits Hainan also. 

 The following is his note on the species : — " A few passing flocks speud a day or two in 

 Amoy during winter. It is found in the extreme north of China as a resident only ; 

 but in the south, where the winter climate is more genial, it stays all the year, roaming 

 about in small parties during the cool weather, and merely shifting its haunts from 

 exposed to sheltered localities according to the severity of the season. In Southern 

 China it is by no means so common as the Chimney-Swallow, and far more locally 

 distributed." The Tweeddale collection has likewise two specimens from the Island of 

 Pootoo. 



Mr. Swinhoe separated the Pekin bird as H. arctivitta, hut we cannot allow that 

 this is different from II. nipalensls. It is a summer visitant to the north of China, but 

 was frequently seen in flocks by Mr. Swinhoe in August and September. 



In Japan it is, according to Mr. Seebohm, " a summer visitant to the southern 

 islands, but has not yet been recorded from Yezo." There are four skins in the Pryer 

 collection from Yokohama. Messrs. Blakiston and Pryer have given the following note 

 in their ' Birds of Japan ' : — " It is common about Tokio, where it builds a long bottle- 

 shaped nest under the eaves of buildings. Eggs six ; white. Not yet found in Yezo. 

 Specimen in Hakodate Museum from Tokio ; specimens also in the museum there. It 

 has only lately been discovered at Yokohama, although there have long been many 

 suitable places for it to breed. The first was noticed in 1878." Captain Blakiston says 

 that, to his surprise, he also once observed this Swallow on the 23rd of January. It has 

 also been found in Corea by Dr. Kalinowski. 



With regard to its nesting-habits in India, we quote the following from Mr. Oates's 

 edition of Mr. Hume's well-known work on the ' Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds ' : — ■ 



"This, the larger of our Indian Mosque-Swallows, although visiting during the cold 

 season the plains of India, breeds, so far as I know, exclusively in the Himalayas — I 

 mean, of course, within our limits. 



