experience of Dr. Von Heuglin (vide infra). Mr. Blanford states that he shot but one 

 specimen of the bird in Abyssinia, at Dongolo in Tigre, at a height of 6500 feet above 

 the sea. He saw it occasionally both on the highlands and in the Anseba valley, but 

 never below 4000 feet elevation. Mr. Jesse, during the British expedition to Abyssinia, 

 procured a specimen at Rayray-guddy in the last-named country, and met with the 

 species again at Bejook in Bogos Land. The late Marquis Antinori likewise procured 

 specimens at Keren in Bogos Land, in May. He states that a little flock of eight 

 individuals appeared about the middle of May, and stayed for some days in the moun- 

 tains near Keren, but they disappeared soon afterwards, and he did not see any during 

 the succeeding months : he believes the species to be rare to the north of Abyssinia. 



The late Baron Von Heuglin gives the following account of the species as observed 

 by him : — " It is migratory in Abyssinia, and appears in Galla Land, in Central and 

 Northern Abyssinia (as far north as 17° N. lat.), at the end of April and the beginning 

 of May. It then lives in pairs in the mountain valleys at a height of from 4000 to 

 10,000 feet. It sings during flight and when perched on the dead tops of trees, after 

 the manner of the Chimney-Swallow ; and about the beginning of July it makes its nest 

 in horizontal holes, from about one to three feet in depth, these being apparently 

 excavated by the birds themselves. These holes are found in steep banks of wild 

 rivulets and gorges, generally singly, never more than two or three together, each nest 

 being in a separate hole. The alluvium in which they are placed is often so hard that 

 it is with the greatest difficulty that the nest can be drawn out entire into the daylight. 

 The nest is large, flat, and tolerably artistically woven together with blades of grass, and 

 lined with finer substances. I found two eggs, very thin-shelled and pure white in 

 colour ; the length was 8{"', and the diameter 5"'-S. The birds undoubtedly have two 

 broods in the season. 



" I never saw this species on the White or Blue Niles, nor in any part of the east 

 Soudan province. It is seen along mountain torrents and pasture-lands, and on rocks, 

 and occasionally rests on the dead branches of the lower trees. Its flight is generally 

 high and swift. 



" Riippell says that this Swallow places its nest in crevices of rocks, whereas I 

 myself, as mentioned above, only knew them as building in holes, and I had a good many 

 opportunities of observing their nesting-places." The late Marquis Antinori obtained 

 two specimens in Shoa at Sciotalit in March, and in the forests of Fecherie-Ghem in 

 June. 



The description and figure of this bird are both taken from Mr. BJanford's Dongolo 

 specimen in the British Museum. 



