HIRUNDO EMINI, Beichenow. 



EMIN'S SWALLOW. 



Hirundo melanocrissa (nee Ruppell), Emin, J. f. O. 1891, pp. 340, 345. 



Hirundo emini, Reichen. Ber. Allg. deutsch. orn. Ges. xi. p. 2 (Jan. 1892) ; id. 



J. f. 0. 1892, p. 30. 

 Hirundo astigma, Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 19. 



H. uropygio rufo : pileo chalybeo-nigro : subtiis minime striolata : cauda rniniuie albo maculata. 



Hab. in Africa centrali-orientali. 



Adult male. General colour above blue-black, with whitish bases and margins to the feathers of the 

 mantle, producing a striped appearance, the lower back and rump cinnamon-rufous ; upper tail- 

 coverts and tail blue-black, the latter without any white spots ; wing-coverts like the back, the 

 greater coverts and quills blackish glossed with blue-black, the innermost greater coverts tawny 

 isabelline, forming a patch ; crown of head and nape blue-black like the back ; a loral spot of 

 isabelline buff ; feathers below the eye and ear-coverts dusky blackish, washed with chestnut ; 

 from behind the eye a very distinct patch of chestnut extending backwards to the sides of the 

 nape, but not sufficiently to cause a nuchal collar, though the blue feathers of the nape are slightly 

 tinged with chestnut ; cheeks, throat, and sides of neck isabelline, the rest of the under surface 

 from the lower throat downwards a little deeper in colour and a little more tawny, deepening on 

 the under tail-coverts, all of which have the terminal hab blue-black, the long coverts entirely of 

 the latter colour ; under wing-coverts and axillaries like the breast. Total length 7 5 inches, 

 culmen 035, wing 4'9, tail 1"75, outer tail-feathers 3 # 9, tarsus - 6. 



Hab. Vicinity of Victoria Nyanza, and occurring again in the Shire Highlands. 



Dr. Reichenow first described this species from Emin Pasha's collection made on the 

 Victoria Nyanza, when two specimens were forwarded to the Berlin Museum from 

 Bussisi and Bukoba ; the first of these was procured in October and the second in 

 November. Dr. Reichenow compared the new species, which he named in honour of 

 Emin Pasha, with H. melanocrissa, and it is undoubtedly very closely allied to the latter 

 bird, but is deeper cinnamon-coloured below, and has no sign of any shaft-streaks. 



Captain Shelley, in describing the collections sent by Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., 

 from the Shire Highlands, named a Swallow Hirundo astigma, and compared it with 

 H. semirufa, to which it certainly bears some resemblance by reason of its unstriped 

 under surface. The type of H. astigma was procured by Mr. Alexander Whyte, who 



