3 840 J of the Peninsula of India. 235 



its plumage. In this case, however, there will still remain a fourth 

 species, viz. Col. Sykes' ' Mahrattenst's.' 



My specimens were found in the northern part of table land near 

 Jaulnah. Length rather more than 9k; wing 6; tail 4^ ; tarsus nearly 

 T Vhs. 



All the species of the night hawk I observed have the habit, when 

 roused in the day time, of flying a short distance, and then alighting 

 on the ground and squatting close, not moving from the spot where 

 they have first alighted. The note of the common one (No. 252), as 

 well as of the Neilgherry species, both resemble the sound of a stone 

 scudding over ice, or, as is well represented by Mr. Elliot, sound like 

 the word tyook, tyook, tyook. Mr. Elliot in his notes states that he 

 once found the eggs of the common species (two in number) placed on 

 the ground without any nest. They were pink, spotted with brown. 



Family HIRUNDINIDJ3.— Swallows. 



Genus CYPSELUS, L. 

 Sub-genus CYPSELUS, Sw. 



254. — C. Jlpinus, Temm. — H. Melba, Auct. — Large mountain Swift. 



As far as I can judge from descriptions, my bird is the same as the 

 European one. I first observed it on the road between Madura and 

 Palamcottah, when an innumerable flock passed over camp from the 

 range of eastern ghauts, travelling towards the east coast. It was 

 almost mid-day in the month of August. They kept a steady easterly 

 direction. 1 afterwards saw in Travancore single birds, flying about 

 at an immense height with great rapidity. I also saw them on the 

 top of the Neilgherries, towards the edges of the hills, and also at 

 Madura, flying in small parties every evening, just before sun-set, to- 

 wards the east coast, apparently from the hills in the neighbourhood, 

 as I did not see them during the day time. Its flight is amazingly 

 rapid. Length f) inches; wings beyond 2 inches; from flexure b.J ; 

 tail 3 ; bill straight to gape 1 inch. 



255. — C. ojffinis, Hardwicke, Gray and Hardw. 111. Ind. Zool. — 

 Ababeel, H. — White-rumped Swift. 



This species, though of general distribution throughout the penin- 

 sula, yet at the same time is so partially distributed as to have caused 



