THE SWALLOWS 
Hirundo rustica Hirundo savignii 
European Common Chimney Swallow Egyptian 
Upper plumage from forehead to tail, deep metallic steel 
blue-black ; forehead and throat, rich red-brown; a band 
of the blue borders the red on throat; underparts creamy- 
white; beak very short and black; eyes, dark brown. Length, 
8 inches. 
Tue above description is of the Common or 
Chimney Swallow, and if for the creamy-white 
underparts, you read red-brown underparts, length 
7 inches, you have an accurate description of the 
Egyptian or Oriental Chimney Swallow. As the 
Egyptian Swallow and our own Common Swallow 
are so similar in appearance and habits, both are 
dealt with in this article. With so little difference 
between the two species, it is not strange that 
persons seem to find it hard to distinguish the one 
from the other; but really, if one watches at all 
carefully, he will soon note if the individual bird 
has the creamy-white underparts or no, as it is 
seldom that any swallow flies long without that 
sideway swerve which shows the wing lifted free 
above the body. The first date I have noted as 
60 
