442 RIP.BS OF INDIA. 



and Burmali. It is most abundant in wooded districts, especially 



^vhere palm-trees abovnid, more particularly the Palmyra palm, from 



•which indeed it takes several of its native names. Where they are 



numerous, several may be seen seated on the same branch, but they 



fly off independently of each other, and after a flight of some few 



minutes, return cither again to the same perch or to another tree. 



At times I have seen an immense flock in the air all together, 



liuntino- for insects, and remaining on the wing for a much longer 



period. A small party may occasionally be seen, skimming over the 



svirface of a tank, picking up an insect now and then, and returning 



to a high bough of a tree, overhanging the water. Tiiey live entirely 



on insects of various kinds. I have found them most abundant in 



the Carnatic,the iMaiabar coast, the Northern Circars, and Bengal ; 



very rtire in the Deccan and Central India. To my great surprise, 



I found them on the sides of hills at Darjeeling, on cleared spots 



up to above 4,000 ft. of elevation. 



I have procured the nest of this bircj, situated on a Palmyra tree 

 on the stem of the leaf. It was a deep cup-shaped nest, made of 

 grass, leaves, and numerous feathars, and contained two eggs, 

 white with a greenish tinge, and with light brown spots, chiefly at 

 the larger end. I see that Mr. Layard procured the nest in Ceylon, 

 where this bird is common, in the head of cocoa-nut-trees, made of 

 libres and grasses ; and it was probably the nest of this bird that 

 was brought to Ticktdl, as that of the Palm Swift, Cypsdus hatas- 

 siensis. 



Its flight is elegant and Swallow-like, a few rapid strokes of the 

 •wing alternating with a gliding flight with outspread Avings, and 

 often in circles, or, when in close pursuit of an insect, rapid and 

 direct. Its cry, which it frequently utters, both when seated and 

 in flight, is plaintive, very like that of the Shikra (Micronisus 

 hadiiis), but more subdued. 



The true A. leucorhynclios, with which the Indian species was 

 long confounded, inhabits the Philippines; and A. leucogoster, 

 Val. (Jeucorliynclios apud Plorsfield), is from Java and Sumatra, 

 and also the Andaman islands ; and there are several others from 

 the more distant islands, and many from Australia. The genus* 



