latter being always more perfect in the wliiter-breastcd birds. The rufous mottling of the collar
may therefore be a sigu of breeding-plumage in certain of tbe western birds, or it may be the
result of interbreeding with one of tlie darker eastern forms—a supposition which is founded on
great probability.
As regards tbe respective ranges of Hirundo rustica and H. gutturalis, we propose to supplement
the remarks made in the ‘ Catalogue of Birds ’ by a detailed list of the specimens now in the
British Museum, and it will thus be seen how completely tbe ranges of the two races overlap.
In the subjoined paragraphs we have given the localities of the two races, as recorded by competent
writers. I t is obviously impossible for ns to examine specimens from every country, but many of
the specimens referred to H. rustica or H. gutturalis iu the mass of records of these two species
must belong to the intermediate form.
Regarding tlie ordinary European Hirundo rustica as the typical form, it concerns our present
purjiose ouly to give a list of specimens from localities where the two species may be expected
to overlap in habitat. The following, therefore, are extra-European localities for typical
/ / . rustica in the collectiou of the British Museum:—Fao; Bushire; Yarkand; Kandahar;
Gulran; Khclat; Cashmere; Gilgit; Almora; Sambhur; Etawah; Deesa; Saugor; Kliandeish;
Deccan; Ahmcdiniggur; Ceylon; Maimbhum 5 Calcutta; Nepal; Sikbim; Native Sikbim;
Oudb; Behar; Dibrughur; Sliillong; Kamroop; Cacbar; Manipur; Elephant P o in t; Tonglioo;
Lower Pegu; Moulmeiu; Thatone; Mooleyit; Thouugyecii Valley; Amherst; Merg u i;
Kliykcto ; Mt. Harriet, S. Andamans; Great Cocos Is l.; Jav a ; Manila; Mindanao; Kina
Balu; Celebes; Batchian; Shanghai; Amoy.
The specimens which may be referred to typical H. gutturalis are from the following localities :—
Rajkote in Kathiawar; Kamptee; Mhow; Maunbliiim; Dibrughur; Shillong; Sadliyia;
Sylliet; Manipur; Elephant Point; Tonghoo; Pegu; ito o le y it; Houngtliraw River; Khykcto;
Bojiyin; Moulmein; Amherst; Tavoy; Malewooii; Mt. Harriet, Andamans; Malacca; Klaug,
Sclaiigore; Singapore Islan d ; Johore ; Gulf of Siam; Sumatra (C. Bock); Java; L ab u a n ;
Baram (C. Hose) ; San Mateo, L u zo n ; Celebes; Batchian ; Halmaliera; Bonrou {H. 0. Forbes) ;
Amboina (//. O. Forbes); Amoy; Canton; Formosa; Japan.
Birds with a strong rufescent tinge ou the under surface, showing an ajiproacb to H. savignii
or n . Ujtleri, are from tbe following localities :—England; Hungary; Asia Minor; Accra,
W. Africa; S. Africa; Etawah. All these would be called H. pagorum by recent advocates of
that subspecies.
Intermediate specimens between H. rustica and its ally H. gutluralis are from the following
places Cyprus ; Mckran coast; Gilgit; Dhurmsala; Seliwan; Raipur; Madras; Cotta, Ceylon;
Maunbhnm; Calcutta; Dinapur; Mynpuri; Sikhim; Darjiling; Shillong; Kamroop; Manipur
; Bliamo; Pegu ; Bopyin; Tavoy; K aukaryit; Moulmeiu ; Amherst; Malewoon; Andamans;
Klang, Selangore; Penang; Pulo S eban; Malacca; Singapore; Jav a ; San Mateo,
Luzon; Manila; Celebes; Amoy; Vladiowstock.
Specimens from Etawah, Manipur, aud Singapore Island appear to ns to be intermediate
between H. gutturalis and H. tytleri, and between the latter bird and H. rustica are specimens
from Gurgaon, Dacca, and Tavoy.
Mr. Hume, writing iu 1888, on the birds of Manipur, observes Tlie Sylliet male, the
finest bird out of a large flock, is undoubtedly H. gutturalis, but the Manipur birds ought, I
think, to stand as H. rustica.” He then gives measurements, and concludes I have dealt
in detail with tbese two races in ‘ Stray Feathers,’ vol. vi. p. -11, and can only repeat my doubts
as to the propriety of spocilically separating these two races, which so perfectly blend into each
other tlironghout tlie major portion of this empire.” I t will he seen by the list of specimens
recorded above how truly apposite were the remarks of the great Indian ornithologist, and an
examination of the scries' of specimens preserved in the Ilamc collection amply confirms his
observations. At tho same time, if H. ruslica and H. gutturalis arc to be united, so must all
• tlie other Swallows of the group also be, for many examples of B . rustica approach H. cahmca
in Enrope and I i. tytleri in India, and between these races and H. erythrogastra there is a
furthe r link, so that all the Barn-Swallows are really comieclcd together. JVe believe that these
rcsnlts are due to interbreeding, ju st as is the case with Dippers {Cinclus) and IVagtails
[Molacilla).
Hal, Enrope generallv, wintering in Africa. Western Asia, a, far as th e Va lle , of the Yencsei, and
probably fnrtliér to the eastward, certainly in Central Asia and the Himalayas. IV mtcring in the
Indian Bcninsnla and in varions parts of the Indo-Burmese sub-region, Java, the Philippines,
Borneo, and Celebes, even occurring in the hloluccas. Occasionally met with m China, probably
on migration only.
T h e C om m o n Swallotv is a b u n d a n t ly d isp e rse d o v e r E u ro p e in sum m e r, a t w h ic h s e a so n
i t v is its tlie g r e a te r p a r t o f th o P a læ a r c tio K e g io u . I t b re e d s th r o u g h o u t th e B ritis h
Is le s h u t is r a r e r in th e n o r th , a n d , a c c o rd in g to M r. H o w a rd S a u n d e r s , i t d e c re a s e s m tlie
n o rth -w e s t. I t d o u b tle s s b re e d s in m o s t o t th e H e b rid e s . M r. l lo h e r t G r a y w r ite s ,
in h is b o o k on tb o ‘ B ird s o f th e YYest o f S c o tla n d ’ I s a w e ll-k n ow n s um m e r v i s it a n t
o v e r th e w h o le o f W 'e s tc rn S c o tla n d , e x te n d in g to b o th g ro u p s o t Is la n d s . I t does n o t
a p p e a r to r em a in to b re e d in th e O u te r H e b rid e s , b u t sp e c im e n s a r e s e e n th e r e e v e ry
y e a r. I h a v e o b se rv e d i t in N . U i s t , B e n b c c u la . a n d S. U i s t ................ I n th e I n n e r
H e b rid e s its s ta y e x te n d s o v e r th e s um m e r ; i t is c om m o n i n M u l l a n d I o n a , in S k y e ,
H um , T y re e , Coll, a n d p ro b a b ly a l l th e sm aU e r is le s .”
A ir D ix o n in h is p a p e r o n th e B ird s o f St. K ild a , w r ite s M r . M a c k e n z ie
in fo rm s m e t h a t h e saw n um b e r s o f Sw allow s o n S t. K ild a iu 1 8 8 3 , b u t n e v e r o b s e rv e d
th em th e r e b e fo re . I n e v e r saw tlie Sw a llow d u r in g m y s ta y . I t n e v e r b re e d s o n
S t. K ild a .” . ^ »
AA'ith re g a rd to th e O rk n e y Is la n d s , Messrs. B u c k le y a n d H a rv ie -B row n s ta te t h a t
i t is p le n tifu l, a n d h a s v e ry m u e li in c re a s e d in n um b e r s o f l a t e y e a rs , ow in g , in
A rd n am u ro b a n a t le a s t, a c c o rd in g to D a lg le isb , to th e e r e c tio n o f a n um b e r o f ia rm -
h o u se s . . .
D r S a x b y sa y s “ I n S h e tla n d th i s u 'e lc om c b ird come s in a u tu m n a n d s p r in g ,
tlio u g li in v e r y sm a ll n um b e rs . I n ,Iu n c , 1 8 0 7 , I k n ew o t a n e s t a n d e g g s in a b y re -
ro o t a t P e t i s t a , in U n s t , a n d lia v e lie a r d o t a tew o th e r w e ll- a u th e n tic a te d in s ta n c e s o f
i t s b r e e d in g in S h e t l a n d ; b u t s u c h in s ta n c e s a r e v e ry r a r e . N o tw ith s ta n d in g th e
b r ig h t s u n s h iu o o f a u tum n , th o Sw allow s soem b u t ill a t e a se w h o n th e y p ay a v i s it a t
th a 't sea son, s i tt in g am o n g tb o s h ru b s o r u p o n th e lio u s e -ro o t ; a n d w h e n th e y do v e n tu re
u p o n a s h o r t flig h t, th e y p e r fo rm i t in a lis tle s s m a n n e r , a n d v e r y so o n r e tu r n to th e i r