488. H iru n d o a ng o l en s is . Angola Swallow.
This Swallow is smaller than H. rustica, which it resembles in its
rufous forehead and throat, and is further distinguished by its ash-
coloured under surface and under tail-coverts. It was discovered
by Senor Anchieta in Angola, and has also been found by him at
Huilla in Mossamedes.
Adult. Forehead, throat and upper part of the breast deep brick-
red ; the entire upper surface rich steel-blue, having a greenish lustre
in some lights : tail gradually forked, the two middle feathers steel-
blue, the whole of the inner web white, except a black border at the
tip: a narrow interrupted band across the breast below the red
throat, steel-blue; rest of the breast and under tail-coverts ash-
coloured, a little paler in the centre of the breast, the under tail-
coverts washed with rufous, each feather margined with pale grey,
and having a little heart-shaped blue mark before the end of the
feather, the black shaft being also strongly defined ; under wing-
coverts dark ashy grey, washed on the edge of the wing with steel-
blue; bill and legs black. Total length, 5'7 inches ; culmen, 0‘35 ;
wing, 4-7; tail, 2'5 ; tarsus, 0‘5.
Fig. Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1869, pi. xciii.
349. H irundo alb ig ularis . White-throated Swallow.
Hirundo albigula and H. rnfifrons, Layard, B. S. Afr. pp
53, 55.
Although belonging to the red-fronted Swallows, this species is
distinguished by its white throat from the two foregoing birds. It
is probably this Swallow that Le Vaillant intended to figure in his
plate of the “ Hirondelle a front roux,” which is, however, apparently
drawn from memory, and cannot be recognized.
If any of our Cape swallows could be mistaken for the European
species, this would in all probability be the deceiver. In fact, for a
long time we were deceived by it, until one bright sunny morning,
while watching the flight of some of these lovely aerial creatures, it
struck us that the blue of the back and white of the breast looked
brighter than in the old-country bird. For some time they confined
their course to the narrow river, on the bridge over which we stood,
but at last one strayed for an instant over the bank; a well-directed
shot laid him on the green sward, and we instantly recognized the
supposed “ Hirondelle k front roux” of Le Vaillant. They were
breeding beneath the bridge, but we were unable at the time to get
at the nests, which we have since visited, and found to resemble
those of the European bird in shape and structure. Le Vaillant says
he only found this species in the rainy season (our winter). In this
he is most undoubtedly mistaken, so far as the Cape peninsula is
concerned. No other swallow than G. fuligula remains during this
time, whatever they may do in the more inland districts; but,
from all we can gather from our correspondents, we have no reason
to think that even there H. albigularis is to be found in the
winter.
Mr. L. C. Layard found the species breeding at Grootevadersbosch
near Swellendam, and together we procured its nest at the Berg
river in the middle of September. The nest was a half cup attached
to a beam in a stable, and was composed of mud and lined with hay
and feathers. The eggs were very thin, white (pink when containing
the yolk), and spotted, chiefly at the obtuse end, in the
shape of a ring, with minute dots of green, brown, and yellow, with
here and there a larger spot. In shape they were sometimes much
pointed, at other times they were very round r axis, 10 " ; diam. 7".
Andersson and Victorin both procured this Swallow at the Knysna,
and we have seen several specimens from Natal. Mr. Thomas Ayres
has also found them in the Transvaal, and he says that they were
fairly common near Lydenburg, where they were most frequently to
be seen hawking along the streams.
Adult.—Above deep purplish blue : quills blackish brown, with a
faint gloss on the upper surface, the innermost cubital feathers
marked on the inner web with a greyish white spot: tail blackish
brown, the two centre feathers unspotted, but all the others marked
on the inner web with a large patch of white: forehead deep
chestnut: space between the bill and the eye, and the ear-coverts,
dusky-black : throat, cheeks, and sides of the neck white; below
the throat a broad band of purplish blue feathers, broad at the sides
and narrow in the centre of the breast: rest of the under surface of
the body dull white, greyish on the flanks : bill black : feet dark
brown. Total length, 6'3 inches; culmen, 0 4 ; wing, 5‘25; tail,
3 '2 ; tarsus, 0'45.
Fig. Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1849, pi. 15.