HIRUNDININ^. 163 



1st. — Sand Martins. 



87. Cotyle riparia, Lin. 



Hirundo, apud Linn^us — Jerd., Cat. 264 — Blyth, Cat. 

 1205— HoKSF., Cat. 116 — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 58. 



The European Sand Martin. 



Descr. — Plumage above, and the breast, pale dusky greyish 

 brown ; throat, belly, and under tail coverts white ; the tail slightly 

 forked ; l^ill black ; legs and feet horny. 



Length to end of outer tail feather 4| ; wing 4 ; tail 2 ; centre 

 feathers f shorter than the outer ones ; tarsus feathered on the 

 back down to the hind toe; the closed wings about equal to the tail. 



I have found the Sand-Martin somewhat rare in India. I got speci- 

 mens at Jaulna, and saw it occasionally at Mhow and Saugor, and also 

 in two or three localities on the Ganges, but very few, generally 

 only one or two together, in company with the common Swallow, 

 and always near water. Mr. Blyth mentions it from the banks of the 

 Sutlej. Adams says that it is common on the Indus and the rivers of 

 the Punjab. Griffith also procured it in Afghanistan, and says that 

 it frequents rivers and sand banks, and has a loud harsh voice, with 

 the same intonation as the black Partridge. It is only a winter 

 visitant to India. It is spread over great part of Europe, Asia, 

 and Africa. In Europe, and Northern Asia, it breeds in lioles in 

 river banks, laying 4 or 5 white eggs. 



88. Cotyle subsoccata, Hodgs. 



Gray, Zool. Misc. 82— Adams, P. Z. S., 1858, p. 495, No. 190— 

 P. Z. S., 1859, p. 176, No. 58. 



The Dusky Martin. 



Descr. — Above greyish umber, darker on the wings ; the throat 

 dirty white ; an irregular band of greyish ixmber on the breast ; 

 belly, vent, and under tail coverts, white ; tail moderate, nearly 

 even ; tarsus nearly naked. 



Length 4 inches — wing Sy^. Irides hazel ; tarsus black. 



Sir. W. Jardine, describing Adams' specimen, says "upper parts 

 brownish black, and an irregular brownish black band across the 



