ii
Ii' t I ,i
' f ! ■*',
Adult female. Similar in colour to the male. Total length 4-3 inches, culmen 0 ’3, wing 4'1, tail 1-6,
tarsus 0-35.
Young. Is distinguished from the adult by having pale rufous edges to the feathers of the lower back,
rump, and upper tail-coverts.
Hab. The greater part of the Indian Peninsula from tbe Nilgbiri Hills northward to Kathiawar and
Cutch on the west, and e.'ctending northwards to Delhi, but apparently not crossing the Gauges,
nor visiting Lower Bengal.
T h is is th e I n d i a n r e p r e s e n ta tiv e o f th e A f r ic a n C. fu l ig n l a , o f w h ic h i t is a sm a ll ra c e .
I t d iffe rs ch ie fly i n i ts size, a n d a lso in th e s p o tte d t h r o a t ; h u t , a s w e h a v e n o tic e d ab o v e ,
t h e t h r o a t a n d fo r e n e c k a r c som e tim e s q u ite u n ifo rm , a n d th e n th e r e w o u ld b e n o th in g
h u t t h e sm a lle r d im e n s io n s o f t h e I n d i a n b ird w h e r ew ith to d i s tin g u is h it.
T h e p r e s e n t sp e c ie s is w id e ly d is tr ib u te d o v e r th e P e n in s u la o f In d i a , h u t does n o t
e x te n d to C e y lo n , n o r does i t re a c h L ow e r B e n g a l. I t is n o t in c lu d e d in a n y li s t o f b ird s
from T r a v a n c o re , a n d i ts m o s t s o u th e r ly r a n g e seems to h e th e K i lg h i r i l i i l l s . H e r e ,
A ir. D a v is o n s a y s , i t is “ n o t u n c om m o n d u r in g th e c o ld w e a th e r , h u t v e ry few rem a in
to b re e d . I t is o n ly f o u n d a b o u t ro c k y p la c e s , o r th e i r im m e d ia te v ic in ity . I t o c c u rs
from th e le v e l o f th e p la in s to a s h ig h u p a s O o ta c am u u d .” D r . J e r d o n w r ite s :— “ I
r a r e ly saw i t o n th o A la la h a r c o a s t, h u t I p ro c u re d i t a t V e llo re a n d S e rin g a p a tam , in
b o th p la c e s b r e e d in g o n th e l a r g e f o r t w a lls ; a lso o n ro c k y h ills th r o u g h o u t th e C a rn a tic
a u d ta b le - la n d , a n d in C e n t r a l In d ia . I h a v e a lso fo u n d i t s n e s t o n a ro c k o v e rh a n g in g
th e ro a d o n th e G o o d a lo o r G h flt o f th e N e ilg h e rrie s , a t a b o u t 4 0 0 0 fe e t o f e le v a tio n . I t
a lso b re e d s o c e a s io n aU y in t h e e a v e s o f lo f ty h o u se s , a n d o th e r la rg o b u ild in g s in th e
D e c c a n , a s I s aw a t J a u ln a . I t does u o t b u ild iu c om p a n y , a n d is n ow h e re a b u n d a n t in
in d iv id u a ls .”
A la jo r B u tl e r p r o c u r e d sp e c im e n s a t B e lg a um in J u l y , a n d th e s e a r e in th e H um e
c o lle c tio n . H e c o n s id e rs i t to b e a p e rm a n e n t re s id e n t a n d com m o n , a s a ru l e , th r o u g h o
u t th e s o u th e rn B om b a y p re s id e n c y . Alessrs. D a v id s o n a n d AVendeu, in t l ie i r p a p e r o n
th e b ird s o f th e D e c c a n , w h e n c e c am e th e o rig in a l sp e c im e n s d e s c rib e d b y Col. S y k es,
^vrite “ I n tb e S h o la p o o r d is tr ic ts i t b re e d s in a b u n d a n c e in t h e r a in s a n d iu
P e b r u a r y . A t E g u tp o o r a i t w a s b re e d in g in t l ie v e r a n d a h o f t h e E n g in e e r s ’ b u u g a low
ill th e m id d le o f M a r c h a u d f ir s t w e e k in A u g u s t . P ro c u r e d a t L n n o li o n t h e 2 0 th o f
A la r c h .” I n tlie S o u th K o n k a n Air. V id a l h a s p ro c u r e d sp e c im e n s a t B a n k o t, K e lsh i,
H a r n a i , P 6 v e , G u h a g a r , a n d E a tn a g i r i . H e sa y s it is “ c om m o n o n th o c o a s t, a n d fo r a
few m ile s in la n d . I h a v e fo u n d n e s ts o n th e cliffs in P e b r u a r y , A la rc h , a u d A p r il, a n d
u n d e r th e e a v e s o f a b u n g a low iu A u g u s t .” T h e l l u m c c o lle c tio n c o n ta in s a sp e c im e n
from P a n c h g a n j G h a t in th e A la h a b a le s liw u r H i l l s , p ro c u r e d in J u n e 1 8 7 4 , a u d Air. E a ir -
b a n k sa y s t h a t i t is c om m o n in th e n e ig lib o u rh o o d o f IC h an d a la . Air. S h a rp e n o tic e d i t on
th e i s la n d o f E l e p h a n ta , w h e re h e s aw a sp e c im e n c lin g in g to th e a r c h w h ic h fo rm s
th e e n tr a n c e to th e c e le b ra te d ro c k -te ra p lo . C o lo n e l Sw in h o e a n d L ie u t. B a rn e s s ta te
t h a t i t “ is c om m o n a t M o hm , w h o re i t is a re s id e n t, b re e d in g d u r in g F e b ru a ry a n d
M a r c li, a n d a g a in in O c to b e r a n d N o v em b e r.”
M r . A itk e n ’s n o te s o n th e b r e e d in g o f th o spec ie s in B e ra r a r e g iv e n b e low , a n d
M r W T B la n fo rd a lso fo u n d i t n e s tin g , th o u g h lo c a l, in th e W a r d h a v a lley .
T lie b ird s from th e n o rth -w e s t a r e d ec id ed ly p a le r t l .a n th o s e from m o re e a s te rn a n d
s o u th e rn lo c a litie s . T h is is c e rta in ly th e ca se w ith th o s e from M o u n t Ab o o in th e H um .'
c o lle c tio n C o lo n e l B u tl e r s ta te s t h a t in th o n e ig h b o u rh o o d o f A b o o a n d N o r th e r n
G u z e ra t th e m a jo rity o f th e b ird s d is a p p e a r in th e h o t w e a th e r, th o u g h a few a r e fo u n d
a l l th e v c a r ro u n d . H o s a y s i t is “ c om m o n in th e h ills , b re e d in g a t M o u n t A h o o m
J u n e a i d J u ly . I t is n o t so c om m o n o n th o p la in s . I n th o n e ig h b o u rh o o d o f D e e sa it
b re e d s in A u g u s t a n d S e p tem b e r, b u ild in g a n o p en n e s t lik e i i . ru s tic a , w in c h i t fm e s to
the wall iindor the e a v e s of houses, a n d la y in g two or th r e e e g g s .”
T h e n o rthw a rd r a n g e o f th o sp e c ie s is m a rk e d h y sp e c im e n s m th e I lu m o collee tioii
from S a im o r C o lo n e l G. F . L . M a r s h a ll o b ta in e d i t in B u iid c lk u n d , a n d th e I ln n i e
collectionLalso c o n ta in s a sp e c im o n from L u lu tp u r in th e N o r tli-w e s t B ro vm e e s A t
C h u n a r M r. B ro o k s p ro c u re d a b re e d in g p a i r iu J u n e a n d to o k th o eg g s.
n o tic e d i t n e a r A lla h a b a d , a n d Mr. H u m e m e t w i th i t a t E taw a h , sp e c im e n s k ille d
in F e b ru a ry , J u ly , a n d O c to b e r b e in g in h is coU eetion. B o th th o a u th o r s h a io
o h sc rv e d i t n e a r A g r a , a n d M r. S h a rp e saw a c o n s id e r a b le n u m b e r a lio u t U k h u r s
P a lao o a t F u tt e h p ii r S ik r i. I t e x te n d s a t l e a s t a s f a r n o r th a s D e lh i, w h e re C ap t.
Bingham p ro c u re d sp ec im e n s.
I ll th e v ie in itv o f t h e S am h h u r L a k e , M r. B . M . A d am s a y s t h a t i t is n o t
c om m o n ; h e o n ly ’ o b ta in e d th e sp e c ie s n e a r M a t a F a h a v a n d th o e x tr em e w e s te rn
p o rtio n o f th o lak e . M r. Xlumc, d u r in g o n e o f h is v is its to th i s p la c e , io iiiid a n e s t
w ith th r o e e g g s ; th o l a t t e r g e iitlo in a n a lso m o t w ith i t a t J o d l .p ii r m l i a jp i it a n a ,
a n d C o lo n e l B u tl e r h a s o b ta in e d sp e c im e n s from M o u n t Ah o o a n d D c c s a . I t also
e x te n d s to C u tc li, w h e n c e th e re is a sp e c im e n in th o U iim c c o lle c tio n . M a jo r ll a y e s
L lo v d say s t h a t i t is o c c a s io n a lly m e t w ith in K a th i aw a r ; a n d a p a i r b u i l t t lic ir
n e s i a v a in s t th e ra f te r s o f h is h o u s e a t B a jk o te . T h o sp co im e ii g iv e n b y h im to th e
B r i t is h M u s e um b e lo n g s to th e d a r k fo rm , s u c h a s is fo u n d in th e M a h a b a lc s hw u r
H i l l s a n d a t B e lg a um . , „ , , ,
M r . J am e s A itk e n gives, iu h is p a p e r o n th o Sw a llow s a n d Sw ifts o f B e r a r , th e
fo llow in g a e c o u n t o f th e p r e s e n t s p e c i e s T h e n a tu r a l h a b i t a t o f th is Sw a llow is
am om 's t ro c k s a n d o n th e fa ces o t cliffs, a n d in s u c h s itu a tio n s i t m a y a lw a y s h e fo u n d ;
h u t iU e a d i ly a v a ils i ts e lf o f th o w in d ow s a n d p o rc h e s o f h o u s e s , e v e n n e s t in g am o n g th e
tw o -s to rie d ho u ses in n a tiv e tow n s . I h a v e a lso k n ow n i t m a k e i ts iio st o n th e sido o f a
we ll. T h o n e s t is o p e n a ll ro u n d , m e re ly a t ta c h e d to th o w a ll b y on o sid o , a n d is v e ry
n e a tlv lin e d w i th fe a th e r s . T h e e g g s a ro m o re ro u n d th a n a n y o f o u r o th e r SwaUows,
a n d a r e m in u te ly sp e c k le d w i th h row n , e sp e c ia lly a b o u t th o th i c k o i id ; th o u s u a l n iimh e v
is I th in k , th ro o . T h e y a r e p e r s e c u te d w h ile liu ild iiig a n d o c c a s io n a lly d r iv e n aw a y by
th e S p arro ’ws ; b u t th e i r o p e n n e s t n o t b e in g a d a p te d to th e w a n ts o f th e s e b ird s , tlie y do