HIRUNDO MELANOCRISSA, B8&- 



ABYSSINIAN MOSQUE-SWALLOW. 



Cecropis melanocrissus, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. pp. 17, 22 (1845) ; Des Muxs in Lefebvr. 



Voy. Abyss., Zool. p. 79 (1849); Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 16 (1856). 

 Himndo rufula (pt.), Bp. Consp. i. p. 339 (1850). 

 Rirundo melanocrissa, Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 69, no. 807 (1869) ; Heugl. Orn. N.O.- 



Afr. i. p. 159 (1869); Sbarpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 315 ; Blanf. Geol. & Zool. Abyss. 



p. 346 (1870); Finsch, Trans. Z. S. vii. p. 319 (1870) ; Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. iv. 



App. p. lvii (1874) ; Bochebr. Fauu. Seneg., Ois. p. 218 (1884) ; Salvad. Ann. 



Mus. Civic. Genov. (2) i. p. 121 (1884); Sbarpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. x. 



p. 165 (1885). 

 Lillia melanocrissa, Hume, Str. F. 1S77, p. 258. 



H. uropygio rufo ; pileo clorso concolori ; subtus fulvescens, vix striolata, gutture et preepectore tantum 

 str iis linearibus obsolete notatis. 



Hab. in Africa septentrionali-orieutali et in provincia Gambensi interiore. 



Adult. Above deep indigo-blue glossed with, purple, with the usual white lines on the upper part of the 

 back ; feathers in front of the eye black ; a narrow line of feathers from the base of the bill 

 extending backwards over the eye, sides of the neck, and round the nape, and forming an inter- 

 rupted nuchal collar, deep sienna ; rump paler sienna ; quills brownish black, glossed with greenish 

 steel-blue ; upper tail-coverts deep steel-blue ; tail-feathers brownish black, glossed with greenish 

 above ; cheeks and throat pale bully white, the shafts of the feathers marked by small black lines ; 

 rest of the body buff, with faint streaks ; the apical end of the under tail-coverts glossy blue-black, 

 having the appearance of a black patch ; bill black ; feet dark brown. Total length 7 inches, 

 culmen 04, wing 4-"7, tail 3'6, tarsus - 6. 



Hab. North-eastern Africa generally, and the interior of Senegambia. 



This Swallow belongs to the rufous-rarnped section of the genus Hinmdo, with the head 

 blue like the back. The under surface of the body is streaked, but very faintly, the 

 dusky shaft-lines being confmed to the throat and chest. 



Dr. Riippell, who discovered the species in Abyssinia, states that he found it on the 

 high plateau of Temben and in the lake-country of the province of Seinien. He met 

 with it in summer from July to October, and he describes it as placing its nest against 

 walls of rock, its habits being those of the common Chimney-Swallow. 



Von Heuglin writes : — " This Swallow is generally found in pairs throughout the 

 rainy season until the month of February in Central Abyssinia, both in the mountains 



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