four in number. About two weeks afterwards I happened to pass the same spot again 

 and found a new nest in the remaining part of the bollow, probably built by the same pair 

 of Swallows, but this time constructed of clay and mud in the way of our House-Martin, 

 and stuck to the wall of the hollow. It was lined with some stems of grass and other 

 soft materials, and a few feathers of a Pigeon, and contained three eggs. I again 

 carried off the nest and eggs without troubling the birds, which had disappeared for a 

 moment. Some time afterwards I visited this spot and was not a little astonished 

 to find a new nest, built like the last one, and containing one single egg; but this 

 time I found it too cruel to carry off the nest again, and therefore ordered my boys to 

 pull on and leave to the twice-tormented birds the pleasure of their breeding business. 

 The eggs are thickly spotted and speckled with reddish brown, on a rosy-white ground. 

 Their shape is oviform, the size 19 mm. in length and 13 mm. in width." 



According to Dr. Hartert, this Swallow was not rare on the Lower Niger, building 

 its nest on the huge dead trees in the stream. Mr. Jameson procured it at Yambuya, 

 on the Aruwhimi River. 



For the geographical distribution of this species, vide infra, Plate 79 [Map]. 



HIRUNDO ATROCjERULEA [antea, p. 319]. 

 Add :— 

 Hirundo atroccerulea, Sharpe & Wyatt, Monogr. Hirund. pt. iii. (1886) ; Seebohm, 

 Ibis, 1887, p. 340. 



In his paper on the Birds of Natal, Mr. Seebohm writes as follows : — " By far the most 

 interesting of the Swallows that came under my notice in Natal was the Blue Swallow 

 (Hirundo atroccerulea). A few pairs of these charming little birds were almost always 

 to be seen hawking diligently for flies over a small field which led from the garden of 

 my friend Mr. Mark Hutchinson's house down to a little stream that flowed at the foot 

 of the bush. Graham Hutchinson told me that they were seldom seen in the open 

 veldt, and always chose sheltered nooks near bush and water. Early in the morning 

 they often used to perch on the wire fence that enclosed the garden. He told me that 

 they were never seen in winter. They associated freely with the other species, but were 

 often alone." 



For the geographical distribution of this species, vide supra, Plate 45 [Map]. 



4 E 



