184 7.] or Little Known Species of Birds. 1 19 



6. H. concolor, Sykes. Indian peninsula. 



7. H. rupestris, Scopoli : H. rupicola, Hodgson ; H. inornata, 

 Jerdon. Himalaya, Neilgherries. 



8. H. urbica, Lin. Himalaya, Neilgherries. 



9. H. riparia, Lin. Nepal, S. India. (Non vidi.J 



10. H. sinensis, Gray, in Hardwicke's ///. Ind. Zool. : H. brevi- 

 caudata, McClelland, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 156: Indian Martin Swallow 

 of Latham. I think there can be no doubt that both the former 

 names apply to the common little Indian Bank Martin, abundant 

 along all the great rivers of the country, wherever the banks are sandy 

 and high enough for them to perforate their nest-boles with tolerable 

 security. The species is nearly allied to H. riparia in form, colour, 

 and habits ; but differs in its smaller size, less furcate tail, rather 

 lighter colour, with the upper tail. coverts somewhat albescent, also 

 in the breast being much paler, and in the absence of the downy tuft 

 on the tarse just above the hind-toe, which invariably distinguishes 

 H. riparia. Length of wing three inches and a half to three and three- 

 quarters, and of middle tail-feathers an inch and a half. Whether these 

 birds are migratory I am unaware. I have found both newly laid eggs 

 and young ready to fly in the beginning of December, and also at the 

 end of February. The nest-holes vary in depth from a foot and a half to 

 considerably more, according as the banks are more or less hard ; and 

 the nest itself is composed of dry grass, with occasionally a few feathers 

 in the lining : eggs pure white, like those of H. riparia ; and the young 

 have their upper feathers more or less margined with rufous, as in 

 that species. 



N. B. The H. brevirostris, McClelland, described with H. brevL 

 caudata, I have identified as a Collocalia (XIV, note to p. 548), being 

 the same as H. unicolor, Jerdon. 



Of the various groups of Saxicoline Flycatchers, one genus makes a 

 considerable approach to the Swallows. This is Hemichelidon, 

 Hodgson, Ann. Mag. N. H. 1845, p. 203. The bill is absolutely 

 as in Hirundo; and the wing reaches to two-lhirds of the length of 

 the tail, having the first primary minute, the second nearly equal- 

 ling the fifth, and the third and fourth equal and longest: rest as 

 in Butalis, but the tarse still shorter. Mr. Hodgson describes 

 two species, H. fuliginosa and H. ferruginea. The former is com- 



