30 CYPSBLIDiE CH^TUEA 



391. Chsetura stictilsema. Beichenow's Spine-tail. 



Cypselus stictilsemus, Beichenow, Orn. Centralbl. 1879, p. 114. 

 Chaetura stictilsema, Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 492 (1892) ; Beichenow, 



Voff. D. Ost-Afr. p. 142, fig. 66 (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 104 



(1896) ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 93 [Zambesi]. 



Description. — General colour dark brown, a white band across 

 the rump above and the abdomen below, separated from one 

 another by the dark coloured sides of the body; chin and throat 

 dull white with dark brown edges to the feathers ; primaries, 

 secondaries and rectrices narrowly margined with white, often not 

 very obvious when the plumage is abraded. 



" Iris black ; bill, legs, and feet black. 



Pig. 16. — Tail of Chmtura siictilcBma. 



" Length in the flesh 5-5 ; wing 5-7 ; culmen 0'3." (Alexander.) 



This bird can be at once recognised by the shafts of the tail 

 feathers, which are very stiff and produced into perceptible prominent 

 spinous points. 



Distribution. — The type of this species was obtained at Ualimi 

 in Useguha, a district in German east Africa, by Dr. Fischer. The 

 bird has also been noticed near Mombasa. Eecently an example 

 has been shot by Capt. Alexander near Zumbo on the Zambesi. 



Habits. — Capt. Alexander states as follows : — " Only once ob- 

 served near Zumbo, on November 8, when a small party of six birds 

 appeared and remained in the vicinity for two days, leaving again 

 on the third day. The flight is remarkably powerful, while at the 

 same time the rump is very conspicuous." Mr. Blanford, speaking 

 of the Indian species, states that he believes the Spine-tails are 

 absolutely the swiftest of living birds ; they far exceed the other 

 Swifts in this respect. They are usually seen in small flocks and 



