C O T I L E A N D E R S S O N I , s p . n .
AN DE ESSON’S EO CK -M A E T IN .
Cot'de f i d ig i d a (n e c L ic h t.), B o c ag e , J o r u . L isb . 18G8, p . 40, 1 8 7 2 , p . G7 ; G u rn e y
in A n d e rs s o n ’s B ird s o f D am a r a L a n d , p. 52 (1 8 7 2 ) ; B o c ag e , O rn . A n g o la , p . 187
(18 8 1 ).
Cotile f u l ig u l a ( p t ) , S h a rp e , C a t B ird s in B r i t . A lu s . p . lOG (18 8 5 ).
C. similis C. fuligula sed pallidior: suprà pallidè luiirina, et subtus vix rufescens.
Hab. in Africa occidentali-australi.
Adult female. Similar to C. fuligula, but very much paler, tbe upper surface and the sides of tlie body
being a pale ashy mouse-colour, and the rufous colour on the throat very pale : “ hill brown, upper
mandible darker than the lower ; legs and toes browu ; iris very dark hrown ” (C. J . Andersson).
Total length 5'8 inclics, culmcn 0-4, wing 5-05, tail 2T5, tarsus 0 -45.
Hab. Damara-Land and Mossamedes.
T h e re c e ip t o f a la rg e r se rie s o f th e t r u e C. f u l ig u l a th a n w a s a t o u r d isp o sa l som e tim e
a g o shows t h a t th e fo rm fr om th e C a p e C o lo n y a n d N a ta l is im ifo rm ly d a r k e r t h a u th e
o n e from D a tn a i'a L a n d , a n d th e in te n s e ly p a le c o lo ra tio n o f t h e l a t t e r h a s in d u c e d u s to
d e sc rib e i t a s a d is tin c t ra c e , to w h ic h we h a v e a t ta c h e d th e n am e o f Air. C. J . A n d e rs s o n ,
th e in tr e p id tra v e lle r , to w h o s e e x e rtio n s n e a r ly a l l o u r s c ie n tific k n ow le d g e o f tliis
p a r t o f th e w o rld is d ue.
Air. A n d e rs so n giv es th e fo llow in g n o te o n th i s b ird :— “ T h is A la r tin is c om m o n in
D am a r a a n d G r e a t N am a q u a L a n d , a n d is th e o n ly sp e c ie s o f Sw a llow w liie li rem a in s
th ro u g h o u t th e y e a r, a few c o u p le s b e in g a lw a y s to bo fo u n d in s u i ta b l e lo c a litie s . I
o n ce saw a v e iy la rg e n um b e r a t I ly k om k a p , on tlic 2 0 th o f Alay. T h is sp e e ie s b re e d s
in t h e h o le s o f low ro c k s a n d c la y -h a n k s . T h e n e s t is c u p - s h a p e d , a n d b u i l t o f th e u s u a l
c la y m a te r ia ls ; th e e g g s a r e five o r s ix in n um b e r , w h ite , tin g e d w ith faw n , a n d s p o tte d
w ith b row u .”
S e n h o r A n c h ie ta h a s m e t w i th th i s A la r tin a t th e I l io C o ro c a a n d a t B ib a lla in th e
in te r io r o f A lo ssam ed c s, a s we liav e n o d o u b t t h a t i t is th e p a le D am a r a fo rm w h ic h
o c c u rs h e r e a lso . A t B ilm lla h e say s i t is c a lle d ‘ Iv a p ia p ia .’
T h e d e s c rip tio n a n d m e a su r em e n ts a r e t a k e n from th e ty p ic a l sp e c im e n in th e
B r i t is h A lu seum .