RUFOUS SWALLOW. 177 



"Systematische Ubersicht dcr Vogels Nord-Ost Africa;" 

 and Bonaparte at oiice claims this bird as H. rufula. 

 After which we cannot wonder that Blyth, Sykes, 

 Hodgson, and Gray should more or less have confounded 

 its synonymes. 



M. De Selys-Longchamps has removed all this 

 confusion by an admirable memoir upon the Swallows, 

 in the work which I have referred to in the specific 

 characters. I am indebted to this memoir for most of 

 what I have to say about H. rufula. 



The Rufous Swallow has been observed in Greece, 

 on the Italian shores of the Mediterranean, and in the 

 South of France. It is not observed in the two latter 

 countries commonly, but accidentally on its passage in 

 April or May, in couples or flocks more or less large. 

 It has been frequently observed in Sicily. At Messina, 

 according to Luigi Benoit and Cantraine, it was common 

 in 1832. The Marquis Durazzo has recorded its 

 appearance at Genoa; M. Crespon, at Nimes; M. 

 Jaubert, at Marseilles. According to Lunel it nested 

 in the neighbourhood of Avignon, in 1845 and 1846. 

 He describes the eggs as white, with small reddish 

 spots and points, which formed a zone at the greater 

 end, which indicates that he did not get the egg of 

 H. Daurica. M. Jaubert has also observed it at Mont- 

 pellier, and M. Malherbe in the Cote-d'or and the 

 Drome. 



Mr. Tristram remarks, (Ibis, vol. i., p. 26,) "H. rufula 

 appears to be the Common Swallow of the Holy Land. 

 I cannot be sure that I saw H. rustica at all, though 

 possibly it might not yet (April) have returned from 

 the south." 



De Selys (Op. cit.) remarks about its real country 

 as follows : — "The question was formerly asked from 



