NOTES ON THE HABITS OF SOME BIRDS, 
mandible, as mentioned by Swainson, is not apparent. In the 
gizzard was a quantity of the soft remains of insects, as well as the 
hard parts of tolerably entire small coleoptera. Its flight is rapid; 
and it has the same capability of turning abruptly which charac- 
terizes the entire genus. While flying, either after insects, or two 
playing together, they keep constantly uttering a very soft and 
peculiar note, which, though by no means loud, is nevertheless 
audible at a considerable distance, and serves immediately to detect 
this species among the crowds of swallows which fill the air during 
the cool parts of the day. It is most difficult to describe its note, 
but it may be likened to the word ( elm,' pronounced in a soprano- 
guttural and half-whistling manner. I may remark, that I have 
never seen this bird except while on the wing, and that it often 
takes long flights in a circular direction, so that by waiting when it 
is first seen, a person is pretty certain to have a shot at it as it 
circles round and round in the same line ; the circles which it 
forms including perhaps upwards of a square mile.” 
(39) — “ Shot at Cape Coast Castle, 9th 
July. It was flying over on an open piece of meadow, covered with 
grass and reeds, in the vicinity of the salt lake. The species does 
not appear common in this vicinity.” 
This is Hirundo ( cecropis ) melanocrissus , Rupp. It was found 
by Ruppell during summer ( J uly to October) upon the table lands 
of Dembea, and in the valleys of Sennaar. They had their nests upon 
the precipices, and in their habits agreed with the European 
H. rustica. The young birds have a delicate brown streak along 
the shafts of the breast feathers.— -Rupp. Vdg. N. 0. Afrika. 
■ — A Hock was seen on tue 
ground, but they rose before I could get within gunshot ; a couple 
ep ymg about, apparently in pursuit of insects, when the speci- 
men v as s lot Two have a nest in the walls of the castle, but 
he speeies does not appear frequent in this vicinity.” 
i 1S !r • ( cecropis J s trio lata, Rupp. — Ruppell states, that 
. S . a ' V *" a ] 0W abundant in the meadows of the Abyssinian 
^ ^ and G ° ndal ' in 
