M r . C um m in g h a s s e n t sp e c im e n s from F a o in th e P e r s ia n G u lf, a n d M r. P a lm e r
from B u s h ir e . T h e fo rm e r g e n tlem a n s ta te s t h a t th e sp e c ie s b re e d s in tb e h u t s a u d
t e le g r a p h -b u ild in g s , in M a r c h a n d A p r il, a n d h e b e lie v e s t h a t i t o u ly le a v e s F a o in
m id -w in te r— t b a t is, in D e c em b e r a n d J a n u a r y .
W i th re g a rd to its o c c u rre n c e in T u rk e s ta n , D r . S ev e rtz o ff s ta te s t h a t i t is fo u n d
b r e e d in g th r o u g h o u t th e c o u n try . D r . P le s k e re c o rd s th e spec ie s from T s c h in a s in
C e n tr a l As ia , w h c i’e i t was o b ta in e d w ith i ts n e s t a n d e g g s b y th e l a t e M r. llu s s ow o n th e
2 1 s t a n d 2 2 n d o f A p r il. l i e a lso o b se rv ed i t n e a r T s e liira k ts e b i in th e IV e s te ru T ia n s lia n .
D u r in g th e F o r s y th M is s io n to Y a rk a n d , D r . S to lic z k a n o tic e d th e C om m o n Sw a llow a s
v e r y c om m o n a b o u t S a rik o l iuM a y . H e fo u u d i t b i* e c d in g a t Y a rk a n d in th e sam e m o n th .
D r . S c u lly o b se rv e s th a t i t is “ fo u n d in g r e a t n um b e r s in th e p la in s o f E a s t e r n T u rk e s ta n ,
f r om S a n ju to K a s h g a r, fo r six m o n th s in th e y e a r. T h e b ird s a r r iv e a b o u t th e m id d le
o f A p r il, a n d m ig ra te tow a rd s th e e n d o f O c to b e r, n o t a s in g le b ird o f th i s sp e c ie s b e in g
e v e r se e n in w in te r. T h e y b re e d d u r in g VEay a u d J u n e ; m a n y y o u n g b ird s , j u s t a b le to
Ily , b e in g fo u n d in th e e a rly p a r t o f J u ly . T h e Y a rk a u d is c a ll th e b ird ‘ U i K a rlo -
g b a c h ’— ‘ H o u s e Sw a llow ,’ a n d s a y t h a t i t a lw a y s m a k e s a m u d n e s t on tlie roofs of
h o u se s , th e n um b e r o f e g g s la id b e in g from th r e e to five, am i t h a t two b ro o d s a r e re a re d
in th e season. U n l ik e th e Sw ift, th is sp e c ie s wa s fr e q u e n tly se e n p e r c h in g o n tre e s , a n d
s e t t l in g o u th e g ro u n d a n d o n sa n d -b a n k s .”
T h e l a t e D r . Severtzoff, in h is n o te s o n th e b ird s o f th e P am i r r a n g e , w r ite s as
fo llow s :— “ Sw allow s a jip e a r tow a rd s th e e n d o f A u g u s t a n d p a s s th r o u g h u n in t e r r u p te d ly
t i ll th e c u d o f S e iitem b e r. W l i e n th e w e a th e r o u tlie P am i r is h a d Sw allow s r e tu r n to
G u lc lia a lo n g t h e K u r s lia b r iv e r , a n d f ly in g o v e r th e m o u n ta in -p a s s c s , aiipeav o n th e
ro a d s n e a r O sh in F e rg h a n a . P ro b a h ly th e s e a r e y o u n g b ird s s e e k in g th e w a y to th e i r
v v iu tc r-q u a rte rs . O n e o f th e s e b ird s flew in to a t r a v e lle r ’s s led g e in th e Z a a la i c h a in in
th e m id d le o f S e p tem b e r , 1878. I t fo llow ed h is h a g g a g e -tr a in d a ily , a u d a t n ig h t s o u g h t
s h e lte r in th e sled g e , a s f a r a s th e T a ld it p a s s . T h re e o th e rs jo in e d i t en r o u te .”
D r . F in s c h n o tic e d th e sp ec ie s o n L a k e A la - k u l o u t h e 7 th o f M a y a n d a lso a t
B ere zoif. M.r. S e e b o hm in h is a c c o u n t o f h is S ib e ria n e x p e d itio n w r ite s a s fo llow s :—
“ O n th e IG th M a y a s o lita ry B a rn -Sw a llow a p p e a re d , a n d I d id n o t see a n o th e r u n t i l we
w e re w i th in a h u n d r e d m ile s o f Y’’o n e -sa isk o n tb e r e tu r n jo u rn e y . A t t h a t tow n th e y
w e re com m o n e n o u g h .”
I n tb o in tro d u c tio n to th e p r e s e n t a r tic le , w c h a v e g iv e n a li s t o f sp e c im e n s o f t r u e
I I . r u s tic a in tb e H u m e co lle c tio n a u d t h a t o f th e B r i t is h M u s e um ; th is a ilb rd s a tlio ro u g li
in d ic a tio n o f th e r a n g e o f th e C om m o n Sw a llow in th o I n d i a n lle g io n . T h e fo llow in g
n o te s re fe r , w e b e liev e , to th e E u ro p c iiu b ird .
I n A fg h a n is ta n , w r ite s C o lo n e l Sw in h o e , i t is “ c om m o n cv e ryw lic re d u r in g s um m e r.
I saw th e firs t SwaUow in K a n d a h a r o n th e 2Uth J a n u a r y ; a u d five d a y s a f te rw a rd s o n e
How in to m y ro om , w h ic h p ro v e d to b e a m a le w i th te s te s e n o rm o u s ly swo llen . I n
a n o th e r w e ek th e y w e re w ith u s iu th o u s a n d s , m a k in g n e s ts in e v e ry c o n v e n ie n t sp o t
a v a i la b l e ; o n e p a i r b u i l t a u d r e a re d th e i r y o u n g in s id e o n e o f th e m e s s t e n ts , w h ic h m as
in c o n s t a n t u se . T h e n um b e r o f th e s e l ittlo bii-ds iu th e c ity was v e ry rem a rk a b le .”
L io iit. I I . E . B a rn e s fo u n d tlie sp ec ie s b r e e d in g a t C h am a n in S o u th e rn A f g h a n is ta n ,
h u t n o t in su c h n um b e rs a s a t K a iid a lia r. T h e la te S ir O liv e r S t. J o h n o b s e rv e s “ E ir s t
se e n in K a n d a h a r in 1.879 o n th e 7 th E e h r u a ry . D is a p p e a re d e n tir e ly b e fo re th e e n d o f
S e p tem lie r, v e ry fc iv in d e e d rem a in in g a f te r th e m id d le o t A u g u s t .” C o lo n e l Sivinlioo
n o te s t h a t lie smv th e firs t Sw a llow in 188 1 on th e 2 9 th J a n u a r y . I n Q u e tt a th e y a r e
l a t e r in a p p e a rin g .
M a jo r T a t e p ro c u re d sp e c im e n s in th e B a d g is d is tr i c t , H e r a t , o n th e 1 2 tli o f A p r il,
a n d D r . A itc h is o n a t G u lra n . M a jo r AVardlaw Il am s a y n o tic e d th e sp e c ie s in th e
K u r r u m V a lle y .
B v D r . H e n d e rs o n th o C om m o n Sw a llow w a s fo u n d in g r e a t a b u n d a n c e in C a shm e re ,
in J u n e , w lie re i t w a s b re e d in g . C o lo n e l B id d u lp li s a y s t h a t in G ilg it it w a s s e e n a t
in te rv a ls a ll th ro u g h th o sum m e r. T h e e a rlie s t d a te a t w h ic h a n y Sw allow s w e re n o tic e d
w a s th e 1 1'th o f A la rch , a n d a ll th e sp e c im e n s o b ta in e d h y h im a n d D r . S c u lly a p p e a re d
to b e t r u e I I . rm tic a . T h is a p p lie s to m o s t o f th e i r .specimens, h u t w o c o n s id e r o n e o r
tw o to h e in te rm e d ia te . M r. B ro o k s s ta te s t h a t i t was fr e q u e n tly sco n h y h im b e tw e e n
A la su ri a n d G a n g a o tri, a s i t w a s a t a l l th e h i l l s ta tio n s . H e in c lin e s to th e b e lie f t h a t
th e A la su ri h ird is n o t t r u e I I . r u s tic a ; h u t w e a r e n o t a b le to d e c id e th i s q u e s tio n , a s
tlie r e a r c n o A la su ri sp e c im e n s in th e I l n m c c o lle c tio n , h u t a n A lm o ra li b ird in th e
l a t t e r is ty p ic a l I I . ru s tic a . I n h is p a p e r o n th e h ird s o f C lia in h a , C o lo n e l C. H . T.
A la rsh a ll w r i t e s T h e y a r r iv e in t h e s p rin g in n um b e rs , f r e q u e n tly a s e a rly as
E c b r u a r y 1 s t, a n d s ta y h e ro t i l l th e a u tum n . A n e s t m a y h e fo u n d in e v e ry t h i r d o r
f o u r th h o u s e d u r in g A p r il a n d Alay. A Sw a llow 's n e s t in t h e h o u s e is lo o k e d u p o n a s
a g ood om e n liy th e h o u s e h o ld e r .” J l r . H u m e fo iiiid i t “ m o re o r less a lm iid a n t
iu '" su ita b le lo c a litie s th r o u g h o u t S in d h from K iis sm o ro to K u r i.a c lic c .” A spcoimoii
f r om S o hw an , in th o H um e c o lle c tio n , is c o n s id e re d h y u s to b e iiito rr a e d ia te b e tw e e n
I f . ru s tic a a n d H . g u ttu ra tis . T h ro u g h o u t C u tc h , K a th iaw a r , a n d G u je r a t, th e Swallow
is sa id h y C o lo n e l B u tl e r to b e a c o ld -w e a th e r v is ita n t. T h e o n ly s p e c im e n c o lle c te d
h y A la jo r H a y e s L lo y d a t B a jk o t e , iu K a th iaw a r , a p p e a rs to u s to ho t r u e I I . g u ttu ra lis .
C o lo n e l B u tl e r s ta te s t h a t in th e n e ig h b o u rh o o d o t A lo u n t Ab o o a n d in N o r th e r n
G u j e r a t th o p r e s e n t sp e c ie s is c om m o n in th e p la in s d u r in g th e cold w e a th e r, a r r iv in g
a b o u t th o 1 s t o f A u g u s t, a n d le a v in g tow a rd s th o e n d o f E e h r u a ry . A ir. l l u m e s ta te s t h a t
D r . K in g n e v e r ohtaincc l i t o n A lo u n t A h o o a n d i t d o c s u o t a p p a r e n t ly a s c e n d th e
h ill. l i e also s a y s t h a t m a n y o f th o sp e c im e n s fr om th e a b o v e -m e n tio n e d re g io n
m a y bo re f e r r e d to I I . g u tlu r a lis , h u t t h a t C o lo n e l B u tl e r ’s s p e c im e n s f r om D c c s a we re
u n d o u h te d ly t r u e I f . r u s l ic a ; tb i s is co n firm e d h y a sp e c im e n f r om D c c s a in th e H um e
co lle c tio n .
E rom N e p a l wo h a v e s e e n n o th in g b u t tlio t r u e H . ru s lic a . D r . S o u lly w rite s
T h e C om m o n SwaUow is fo u u d in a h u n d a n c o in t h e v a lle y o f N o p a l d u r in g sev e n
m o n th s in th e y e a r. I t a r riv e s a b o u t th e m id d le o f E e h r u a r y , a n d m ig r a te s to th e p la in s
a b o u t th o m id d le o f S e p tom h c r. T ho e a rlie s t d a t e o n w h ic h I n o tic e d i t in th e v a lley
was o n th o S th o f E c b r u a ry , a u d th o l a te s t o n th e 1 3 th o f S e p to in h e r. D u r in g th e
w in t e r i t w a s v e ry c om m o u in th e T e r a i a n d p la in s o f N e p a l. T h is Sw a llow b re e d s
3 Y 2