fortunately procured the eggs. He notices that they ' invariably ' build beneath an 

 overhanging rock or bank over deep water, returning to the same spot every year. I 

 observed one colony of nests near Nagpore, however, where the nests, whicli were in a 

 sort of cavern, were easilv reached bv the band from the shallow water at the bottom of 

 the cave, and a greater deviation from this will be noticed further on. I found this 

 Swallow exceedingly abundant in parts of the North-west Provinces of India, less so 

 perhaps in the Punjab. I found it breeding on bridges over the Ganges canal, and on 

 the great Solanee aqueduct close to Koorkee; I also, to my surprise, found it breeding 

 under an archway in the town of Dehra Dhoon." 



Mr. Aitken writes of the species in Berar : — 



" The smallest of our Swallows, and much less familiarly known than the other 

 species, as it lives in colonies and is strictly confined to certain localities. At Akola 

 there is one of these colonies, which build there under a broken portion of a wall whicli 

 stretches out into the Moorna ; the nests are retort-shaped ; a few stand apart, but the 

 majority are attached together, the tubular necks all standing out from the wall, and 

 presenting a very peculiar appearance. With the first heavy showers of the monsoon 

 the river comes down in a flood, and washes the whole place clean ; as soon as the rains 

 abate, rebuilding commences, and the bustle in the early morning is prodigious, the birds 

 hurrying from all quarters with their bills full of mud. They are much persecuted by 

 Sparrows, who take possession of the eggcup of the nest before the neck is added, and a 

 single pair will cause several nests to be deserted before they suit themselves. As soon 

 as the nests are finished the eggs are laid, and when hatched they simply throw the egg- 

 shells into the water instead of carrying them to a distance, as is done by most birds, 

 aware, apparently, that the stream will carry them away. I have noticed this also in the 

 case of the "Weaver-bird. The second brood is in February, during which month they 

 swarm about the nests like bees about a hive, while every now and then splash goes some 

 too fragile neck, breaking even under the light weight of the little owner. These break- 

 ages do not, however, interfere in the least with the process of incubation, but appear to 

 be repaired even while the mother-bird is sitting. The eggs are two, sometimes three, 

 in number, of a white colour, spotted with faint red ; I have seen some, however, pure 

 white ; they vary greatly both in colour and size. After the young quit the nest they 

 associate in a large flock, playing about over the surface of the water, and drinking 

 frequently as they fly. The old birds do not by any means confine themselves to the 

 water, but spread freely over the country, and sing much on the wing. Their flight is 

 comparatively feeble." 



In the Deccan, according to Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, it is resident from 

 August to March, and probably all the year. It is very local, and they have only found it 

 in two or three places along the Panjra Biver. It breeds in October and again in January, 

 in immense colonies. Another locality is " under the railway-arch over the standing 

 water of the Sholapoor tank." Colonel Butler never met with it near Belgaum, but 

 considers it to be a permanent resident in the southern Bombay Presidency, locally 



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