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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [Vol. IL, PaRT I. 



width, by which, superadded to their amazing flight and 

 rapidity of movement, they are almost sure to capture their 

 prey." Here, then, are well summed up all the general 

 qualities of the swallow race ; a few individual peculiari- 

 ties of course remain, which will be noticed under the 

 respective species. The family is divided into two sub- 

 families, IIi?*undo and Cypselus, the latter again sub-divided 

 into the following : — Cypselus, Acantkylis, Collocalia, and 

 Macropteryx. 



Hirundo (Linn.).— Bill flattened throughout; upper 

 mandible slightly hooked ; rictus devoid of vibrissa ; 

 feet insessorial ; lateral toes equal ; hind and middle toes 

 equal, and as long as, if not longer than, the tarsus ; 

 plumage lustrous ; tail more or less forked. 



Only two of this genus have as yet been recognised in 

 Ceylon ; but one of them is an undescribed species, and, so 

 far as I can ascertain, is not migratory, but confined to our 

 Island. 



H. gutturdlis ( Scopoli) ; II. pnayana (Lath.) ; H. Javanica 

 (Sparr.); II. Javanica (Sykes). — Common in India and the 

 Malay countries generally. They arrive in Colombo about 

 the end of September, I saw them in Jaffna in abundance 

 during the months of January and February. I have never 

 yet seen the nests of these birds, nor can I conceive where 

 they build so as to escape notice. I have observed them 

 sitting much on the stony edge of the moat, both here and 

 in Jaffna, fond of hunting over grassy fields and meadows. 

 Plumage glossy, blue on the back ; wings and tail inclining 

 to brown ; forehead and throat rufous ; colour below the 

 throat steel blue; underneath flesh-coloured; tail barred 

 with white; outer tail feathers very long, having been 

 known to exceed the next by 2J in. 



E.hyperythra (Layard).— This handsome swallow is con- 

 fined to the hilly region of Ceylon, and is an undescribed 



