592 



than the Palestine birds, the brown on the head merely extending back to the middle of the crown, 

 the nape and hind neck being black, and the wings and tail much blacker. One specimen from Amoy, 

 labelled by Mr. Swinhoe C. subfurcatus, is undistinguishable from some of these West-African speci- 

 mens, both in colour and measurements ; but another, also from China, collected by Mr. Swinhoe, and 

 now in Canon Tristram's collection, is as light-coloured on the head and wings as most of the Palestine 

 birds. The tail is but very slightly forked in all the specimens ; but this varies considerably, some 

 having it very slightly forked indeed, whereas others have the central tail-feathers as much as 0'25 less 

 than the outer ones. After a most careful examination and comparison of the series before me, I am 

 unable to find any specific distinction between the Chinese bird, separated by Blyth under the name of 

 C. subfurcatus, and typical C. affinis ; for I find some of the latter with the tail quite as much forked as 

 the former, and agreeing closely in measurements and coloration. 



It is not without hesitation that I admit this species in the present work, as it has, compa- 

 ratively speaking, not much claim to be included within the limits of the Western Palsearctic 

 Region; but, after some consideration, I have deemed it advisable to do so. It inhabits 

 Palestine, Africa, and Southern Asia, ranging eastward to China and Penang. 



Canon Tristram met with it in Palestine, in the Jordan valley, and as far north as the 

 marshes of Huleh, and states that it is there resident. Mr. C. W. Wyatt says (Ibis, 1870, p. 12) 

 that he saw it in Wady 'Ain, in the Sinai tic peninsula, on the 6 th April, but did not obtain a 

 specimen. In North-east Africa it appears to shun the low sand deserts, and is chiefly found 

 in or near the hill-ranges. Dr. Th. von Heuglin writes (J. f. O. 1861, p. 422) that it was observed 

 in the beginning of the rainy season near Keren, and also seen in the summer season on the coast 

 of Massowah, and near Mocha, in Arabia, as also in the plains of Taka. Mr. Blanford met with 

 it when on the Abyssinian expedition at the base of the hills and for a short distance within the 

 pass, and in May he found many breeding under rocks in the Suru pass. Antinori records it 

 from Sennaar, on the Blue Nile. 



It appears to avoid the extreme northern portion of North-west Africa, and is not recorded 

 from Algeria or the Atlas range ; but it occurs in Western Africa, and I have examined several 

 specimens in Captain Shelley's collection, from Fantee ; and Messrs. Shelley and Buckley state 

 (Ibis, 1872, p. 286) that it is abundant on the Gold Coast; Dr. Hartlaub records it from 

 St. Thomas; and Dr. Dohrn writes (P. Z. S. 1866, p. 325) that it is common on Princes Island, in 

 the neighbourhood of the town ; and according to Dr. Sclater and Dr. Finsch it has occurred as 

 far south as the Cape of Good Hope, where, however, it is generally replaced by Cypselus caffer, 

 Licht., an allied species, easily distinguished by its deeply forked tail. 



To the eastward it is found as far as China. Mr. Blanford met with it in Persia, where, he 

 informs me, it is very rare and locally distributed ; and in India it appears to be a very common 

 species; for Dr. Jerdon writes (B. of India, i. p. 178), " it is the most abundant and universally 

 spread Swift in India ; but at the same time it is often very locally distributed, so as to have 

 caused Colonel Sykes to remark, ' so rare in the Deccan that I have obtained only two specimens.' 

 It is found from the Himalayas to the extreme south, and from Calcutta to Scinde and the 

 Punjab ; but you may pass over large tracts of country without seeing one. As mentioned in my 

 catalogue, I on one occasion traversed the whole tableland of Southern India, from the Tapoor 

 Pass, near Salem, to Jalnah, near the northern termination of this great plateau, and only saw 



