598 HIKUXDO JAVAXICA. 



Distribution. — The familiar little Hill-Swallow is a resident inhabitant of the mountains of Ceylon, and 

 is, as in the south of India, restricted to high elevations. Though common as low down as the valley of 

 Dumbara, it appears resolutely to decline any descent into the hot regions round the base of the mountains, 

 for I have never seen it, or heard of it being observed, in the low country. It is found in the open districts 

 formed by the great valleys in the Central Province, about estates, and ou the plains of the upper regions, 

 being very common at Nuwara Elliya and in the neighbourhood. I observed it at Horton Plains, and in the 

 southern ranges met with it in the Morowak and Kukkul Korales ; and throughout the high tract formed by 

 these and the adjoining Korales it is found down to the same altitude as in the Kandy country. 



This little Swallow is found in the south of India on the Nilghiris, Palanis, and Travancore hills. It 

 frequents the higher parts of these ranges, being recorded from the Palanis at 5500 feet elevation. 

 -Mr. Bourdillon remarks that they persistently remain about the same ravines and do not travel much. 

 .Union writes that he saw some Swallows at Bangalore and observed their nests in the verandah of a house 

 there, and that in all probability they belonged to this species. I find no recent observation of it at that 

 place, but I have no doubt Jerdon was correct in his surmise. Its range extends eastwards from the south of 

 the peninsula into the Andamans, Teuasserim, Malacca, and thence south into Borneo and Java, and furnishes 

 an important instance of the affinity between the South-Indian, Ceylonese, and Malayan avifauna, which is 

 exemplified in more than one species dealt with in this work. To the Andamans it is a monsoon visitant, 

 bi mi;' common there from the beginning of June to the end of September. In Teuasserim it is " rare and 

 probably confined to the more southern portions of the province " {Hume) ; in fact Mr. Davison only met with 

 it at Mergui in June. Judging from these dates it would appear that it migrates with the south-west mousoon 

 from South India or Ceylon across to the last-mentioned localities, not straying above 13° or 14° N. latitude. 

 It was procured in Borneo by Mr. Mottley and in Lampong by Mr. Buxton, and there are examples in the 

 national collection from Lombok and Bouru. Dr. Meyer records it from Celebes (Tello, near Makassar). 



Habits. — To the resident in the beautiful mountains of Ceylon this little bird has much the same interest 

 as that which the Common Swallow possesses for the occupants of the many English homes to which it is 

 so welcome a visitor ; with this difference, however, that it is a constant attendant about the Ceylon bungalow 

 throughout the year, flitting in and out of the rose-covered and trellised verandah, gliding over the spacious 

 barbecues bestrewn with the rich produce of the estate, or settling on the roofs of the pulping-houses, from 

 the tops of which it utters its merry little twitterwhile it prunes its glossy plumage in the rays of the rnornin°- 

 sun. No wonder, then, that it is a general favourite with the planter, reminding him of scenes far away 

 and bringing back to him recollections of those from whom he is so widely removed. In the mind of the 

 author this interesting bird is connected with pleasing memories, not easily forgotten, of much kindness 

 received, and, moreover, of the glorious mountain prospects viewed from the verandah of many a hospitable 

 bungalow, round which he has often seen it Hying while resting after the exertions of a long toil up the zigza"- 



? COTTLE OBSOLETA. 

 (THE PALE CRAG-MARTIiV.) 



Cotyle obsoleta, Cabanis, Mus. llein. i. p. 50 (1S50); Dresser, B. of Europe, pt. 37 (1875). 

 Ptyonoprogm 'pallida, Hume, Str. Tenth, i. p. 1 (1873). 



Upper parts very pale greyish sandy brown, darkest on the head and palest on the rump ; lores blackish brown ; 

 underparts creamy white ; on the chin and upper throat almost pure white; flanks, lower abdomen, and under 

 tail-coverts washed with dull rufous brown ;" wings and tail brown ; tail-feathers with a large white spot on the 

 iiun-r web of all but the central and outermost pair. 



■■ Length 5*2 to 5*5 inches; wing -I-."); tail 2*1. 



" Dill Mack, inside of mouth dirty yellow ; tarsus dark brown, soles whitish; iris dark brown.'' (Dresser.) 



