1869.] of Central, Western and Southern India. 171 



The following is a complete description taken from a comparison of 

 freshly killed specimens. 



Colour above brownish black, spotted with white, feathers of the 

 crown with a more or less narrow central white stripe, supercilium 

 white and beneath it a dark stripe passing through each eye to the 

 nape. The sides of the neck chiefly white, with slight dusky marks, 

 while the back of the neck has only very few and small white spots. Two 

 central tail feathers dull grey brown in the centre, edged with alter- 

 nating dusky and white spots, the former larger ; outer tail feathers 

 dusky, each with 4 more or less interrupted white bands and tipped 

 with white. Throat white, occasionally with a few dusky marks, 

 remainder of lower plumage mixed white and dusky, darker on the 

 sides and lighter on the breast. Beak blackish above, flesh-coloured 

 below, legs dark horny inclining to plumbeous, irides brown. Sexes 

 alike. Measurements, taken before skinning ; — Length 5^ to 5f , extent 

 9f, closed wing 3^ to 3i, tail 2-§-, beak at front f to 1, tarsus •§, foot 

 If. The bill in the male is shorter than in the female, in the former 

 it is generally f inch, in the latter |- to 1 inch. 



The birds keep to the largest trees, running round the stems in all 

 directions, and flying with a steady flight, not unlike that of a wood- 

 pecker, but swifter and more elegant. They have a whistling note. 

 They evidently breed about the end of April, as birds killed at that 

 time had the generative organs greatly enlarged, and I constantly saw 

 them in pairs. On one occasion I came upon two pairs together. I 

 found Coleoptera in the stomachs of those I examined. 



Family Hirundinid^;. 

 84. HiriindO ruficeps, Licht. (H.filifera Stephens apud 

 Jerdon). In November, December and January these birds are in 

 small flocks generally, not exceeding 15 to 20, and have a particular 

 fancy for perching on telegraph wires, on which all establish them- 

 selves close together, a few flying off and playing about, chasing in- 

 sects, &c. I fancy they keep to one spot very much, and do not move 

 about greatly. They build in February and March, and perhaps also 

 later, always, so far as I have seen, near water, and very frequently on 

 the banks of rivers. I found several nests on the Warda river, near 

 Chanda, invariably beneath overhanging ledges of rock ; 3 eggs ap- 



