THE WIRE-TAILED SWALLOW 
307 
291. HIRUNDO AECTIVITTA. 
SWINHOE^S STREAKED SWALLOW. 
Cecropis arctivitta, SwinJioe, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 346. Lillia arctivitta, Humej 
S. F. V. pp. 261, 266. 
Description. — Male and female. In general appearance similar to H. 
japonica, from which, however^ it may be distinguished by the following 
characters : — a narrower rump-band, only about '8 inch in lengthy with the 
shafts inconspicuously dusky ; the striations on the lower plumage distinct 
but much narrower, hardly broader than the shaft itself; the black on the 
under tail-coverts shorter, measuring only '7 inch in length; and the 
chestnut on the head duller. 
Dimensions the same as those oi H. japonica. 
It is just possible that this species maybe only the young of H. japonica, 
but from the specimens I have seen I am inclined to think it a distinct 
species. Mr. Swinhoe states that this Swallow breeds near Pekin, and he 
is not likely therefore to have overlooked the adult birds. 
Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay procured one specimen in the Karin hills east 
of Tonghoo, and I have not seen specimens from any other locality in 
British Burmah. Mr. Swinhoe says it is locally distributed throughout 
China as far as Pekin, and there are specimens of this species in the 
Swinhoe collection shot at Pekin in August and September. 
Genus UEOMITKUS, ^o^^^p. 
292. UROMITRUS FILIFEEUS. 
THE WIRE-TAILED SWALLOW. 
Hirundo filifera, Stei^h. Gen. Zool. xiii. pt. ii. p. 78 ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 159 ; Wald. 
in Bl. B. Burm. p. 127 ; Aitken, S. F. iii. p. 212 ; Wardlaw Ramsay, Ibis, 1877, 
p. 466 ; Hume 8f JDav. S. F. vi, p. 43 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 650 ; Hume, 
S. F. viii. p. 84 ; Oates, S. F, x. p. 184. Uromitus filifera, Hume, Nests and 
Fggs, p. 75. 
Description. — Male and female. Forehead and crown deep chestnut ; the 
whole upper plumage, wings, tail and ear-coverts glossy steel-blue ; the 
four outer pairs of tail-feathers with an oval spot of white on the inner 
webs ; cheeks, sides of the neck and the whole lower plumage white. 
Length to end of penultimate tail-feathers 5 inches, tail to end of 
penultimate feathers 1-7, wing 4*8, tarsus '42, bill from gape '53. The 
outer tail-feathers are produced in a wire-like form as much as 6 inches 
X 2 
