598 
HIEUKDO JAVANICA. 
Distribution , — The familiar little Hill-Swallow is a resident inhabitant of the mountains of Ceylon, and 
is, as in the south of India, restricted to high elevations. Though common as low down as the valley of 
Dumhara, it appears resolutely to decline any descent into the hot regions round the base of the mountains, 
for I have never seen it, or heard of it being observed, in the low country. It is found in the open districts 
formed by the great valleys in the Central Province, about estates, and on the plains of the upper regions, 
being very common at Nnwara Elliya and in the neighbourhood. I observed it at Horton Plains, and in the 
southern ranges met with it in the Morowak and Kukkul Korales ; and throughout the high tract formed by 
these and the adjoining Korales it is found down to the same altitude as in the Kandy country. 
This little Swallow is found in the south of India on the Nilghiris, Palanis, and Travancore hills. It 
frequents the higher parts of these ranges, being recorded from the Palanis at 5500 feet elevation. 
Mr. Bourdillon remarks that they persistently remain about the same ravines and do not travel much. 
Jerdon writes that he saw some Swallows at Bangalore and observed their nests in the verandah of a house 
there, and that in all probability they belonged to this species. I find no recent observation of it at that 
place, but I have no doubt Jerdon was correct in his surmise. Its range extends eastwards from the south of 
the peninsula into the Andamans, Tenasserim, Malacca, and thence south into Borneo and Java, and furnishes 
an important instance of the affinity between the South- Indian, Ceylonese, and Malayan avifauna, which is 
exemplified in more than one species dealt with in this work. To the Andamans it is a monsoon visitant, 
being common there from the beginning of June to the end of September. In Tenasserim it is “rare and 
probably confined to the more southern portions of the province ” [Hume ] ; in fact Mr. Davison only met with 
it at Mergui in June. Judging from these dates it would appear that it migrates with the south-west monsoon 
from South India or Ceylon across to the last-mentioned localities, not straying above 13° or 14° N. latitude. 
It was procured in Borneo by Mr. Mottley and in Lampong by Mr. Buxton, and there are examples in the 
national collection from Lombok and Bouru. Dr. Meyer records it from Celebes (Tello, near Makassar)' 
Habits . — ^To the resident in the beautiful mountains of Ceylon this little bird has much the same interest 
as that which the Common Swallow possesses for the occupants of the many English homes to which it is 
so welcome a visitor; with this difference, however, that it is a constant attendant about the Ceylon bungalow 
throughout the year, flitting in and out of the rose-covered and trellised verandah, gliding over the spacious 
barbecues bestrewn with the rich produce of the estate, or settling on the roofs of the pulping-houses, from 
the tops of which it utters its merry little twitter while it prunes its glossy plumage in the rays of the morning 
sun. No wonder, then, that it is a general favourite with the planter, reminding him of scenes far away, 
and bringing back to him recollections of those from whom he is so widely removed. In the mind of the 
author this interesting bird is connected with pleasing memories, not easily forgotten, of much kindness 
received, and, moreover, of the glorious mountain prospects viewed from the verandah of many a hospitable 
bungalow, round which he has often seen it flying while resting after the e.xertions of a long toil up the zigzag 
? COTTLE OBSOLETA. 
(the pale crag-mabtih.) 
CoUjle obsoleta, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i. p. 50 (1850) ; Dresser, B. of Europe, pt. 37 (1875). 
Ftyonojirogne pallida, Hume, Str. Eeath. i. p. 1 (1873). 
“ Upper parts very pale greyish sandy brown, darkest on the head and palest on the rump ; lores blackish brown; 
uuderparts creamy white ; on the chin and upper throat almost pure white ; flanks, lower abdomen, and under 
tail-coverts washed with dull rufous brown wings and tail brown; tail-feathers with a large white spot on the 
iuuer web of all but the central and outermost pair. 
“Length 5-2 to 5-5 inches ; wing 4-5 ; tail 2-1. 
“ Bill black, inside of mouth dirty yellow ; tarsus dark brown, soles whitish ; iris dark brown.” {Dresser.) 
