298 SWALLOW. 



In Lin. Trans, xiii. 315, Sir T. Raffles mentions the H. escu- 

 lenta, but without any description, merely saying, " Here are many 

 " caves in various parts of Sumatra, to which these birds resort, but 

 " from want of care and management they are not productive; called 

 " Layang Layang." We are sorry not to be able to acertain, whe- 

 ther the several descriptions above may belong to a single species, in 

 various states of plumage, or whether the nests above mentioned, are 

 constructed by one or more species of the Swallow. 



l 9 ._WHEAT SWALLOW. 



Hirundo Borbonica, Ind. Orn. ii. 580. Gm. Lin. i. 1017. 



L'Hirondelle des bles, Buf, vi. 694. 



Wheat Swallow, Gen. Syn. iv. 581. Shaw's Zool. x. 116. 



SIZE of the Swift. Bill black ; the plumage above blackish 

 brown, beneath grey, marked with longitudinal spots ; tail even at 

 the end; legs black. 



Inhabits the Isle of France ; frequenting places sown with wheat, 

 and glades of woods ; affecting elevated situations, and frequently 

 seen perched on trees and stones ; follow herds of cattle to partake 

 of the flies which surround them, and not unfrequently seen in the 

 wake of ships in great numbers in the road, near the Isle, no doubt 

 for the same purpose : frequently observed in the evening about the 

 clefts in the mountains, where it is said to pass the night ; the nest 

 made of straw and feathers ; the eggs two in number, grey, dotted 

 with brown. 



Inhabits the Isle of France, called Wheat Swallow. 



A.— Hirondelle de Bourbon, PL enl. 544. 2. Gen. Syn. iv. 581. 



This differs in having the top of the head, wings, and tail, 

 blackish brown; the three outer tail feathers tipped with dirty white, 



