326 SWALLOW. 



while, which forks off into two, one passing above the other beneath 

 the eye; the rest of the plumage black, with a violet gloss ; but the 

 greater wing coverts, nearest the body, brown edged with white ; on 

 each side of the lower belly, and over the thighs, white; quills and 

 tail black, the last forked ; the legs black, all the four toes placed 

 forwards, as in the Swifts, and covered with feathers to the claws. 



This bird makes the nest in the houses at Cayenne ; it is of a 

 large size, in shape of a truncated cone, five inches one way, by 

 three the other, and nine inches in length ; it is composed of Dogs- 

 bane, well woven together; the cavity divided obliquely about the 

 middle, lengthways, by a partition, which spreads itself over that 

 part of the nest where the eggs lie, and is pretty near the base ; a 

 small parcel of the same soft down, forming a kind of plug, is placed 

 over the top, serving to keep the young brood from the impression 

 of the air ; hence we may suppose them to be very tender. 



61— WHITE-BACKED SWIFT. 



LENGTH five inches. Bill small, black ; crown of the head 

 mottled pale ash and dusky ; sides of the head, round the eye, and 

 before it dark ; plumage in general above dusky, with a greenish 

 gloss, or bluish ; beneath without gloss ; the chin and throat white; 

 lower part of the back, rump, vent, and under tail coverts white ; 

 tail pale ash colour, rounded at the end ; the wings exceed the end 

 of it by more than one inch ; bend of the wing and outer edge 

 mottled and pale ; legs feathered to the toes, which are dirty flesh- 

 colour; all four placed forwards. 



Inhabits India. — General Hardwicke ; called in the drawings, 

 Burra Suppeleck, and Cinabeen. This seems to have affinity with 

 the Grey-rumped Swallow ; but it has more relation to the Swift, on 

 account of the situation of the toes. 



