18 Ornithological Observations in tie Sutlej valley, [No. 1, 



in the low hills. 



* 81. Cypselus Melba, L., (I. 175), common during the winter 

 about Belaspoor, and in the valley below Kotegurh ; in summer it 

 migrates into Tibet and Central Asia, a few birds only being occa- 

 sionally seen in the vicinity of Chini. ^ _ 



32. Cypselus apus, Lin., (1. 177). I have procured near Chini 

 specimens which are perfectly identical with the European bird, and 

 the species is also common on the Indus in W. Tibet, especially about 

 Lei I never got a specimen of the newly so called G. acaUcauda, 

 Blyth, ii this ought to be really regarded as a distinct species, which 

 does not seem to be very probable. 



33. Cypselus afpinis, Gray, (I. 177) is only occasionally seen 

 in the valley ; one specimen was procured below Kotegurh m 



March 1867. tt '' 



34. Cypselus pacipicus, Lath., (Ibis, 1866, Vol II. p. .840). 

 It appears that this species, to which (according to Blyth,) 

 a ould refers G. vittatus, J. and S., G. austraMs, Gould and 



Birundo apus, var. p. of P a 1 1 a s as synonyms, only differs from Cyp. 

 leuconyx, Blyth, by the blackish-brown claws. I shot last year 

 near Chini several specimens of a Cypselus which, on comparing 

 them in the Indian Museum with the original specimen of Cup. 

 leuconyx, do not exhibit the slightest difference in size, though they 

 distinctly have blackish claws, with no trace of white. The length 

 of the wings differs from 6* to 6f . The birds are to all appearance 

 identical with the specimens from the N. W. Himalaya determined 

 by Blyth as C. vittatus, of which Jerdon says (I. 180) that 

 they belong to Cyp. leuconyx. As far as these specimens of the so- 

 called C. vittatus in the Museum are preserved, their claws appear 

 to have been brown and not white. I cannot trace satisfac 

 torily how far the distinctions pointed out to exist between G. 

 leuconyx and C pdcificus are correct; the species do not seem to 

 differ in colouring. Dr. Jerdon says (loc. cit. p. 180), ,that the 

 blackish brown is < darkest on the head,' while in my and in B 1 y t h ' s 

 specimens of C. vittatus, only the back is glossy blackish brown 

 and the head, nape and neck pale brown, exactly like in Cyp. affims ; 

 there is also in all our specimens a slight, pale supercillium traceable, 

 being more distinct in front. 



