t i ’ce o r b u s h . T h is sp e c ie s d id n o t se em to b e v e r y s t r o n g o n th o w in g , fo r a f t e r fly in g
n p a n d d ow n fo r a few m om e n ts , b o th b ird s r e p e a te d ly re s te d f o r som e tim e . I s h o t one,
Avhicli p ro v e d to h e t h e fem a le , b u t ju d g in g i ro r a w h a t I s aw o f th e liv in g b ird s , th e
m a le d id n o t a p p e a r to d itfe r in c o lo u r. I u n f o r tu n a t e ly d id n o t s e c u re th e l a t t e r ; fo r,
im m e d ia te ly o n th e fa ll o f lu s m a te , h e flew u p liig h in th e a ir a n d d is a p p e a re d . I n
S e p tem b e r I saw a n o th e r in d iv id u a l s i tt in g in e x a c tly th e s am e p la c e w lie re I h a d
a lr e a d y k ille d th e p re v io u s o n e , b u t I Avas o b lig e d to a b s ta iu from s h o o tin g i t , fo r f e a r o f
h i t t i n g som e n ig g e r b o y s Avho w e re in tlie n e ig h b o u rh o o d . T lie c a ll-n o te o f th i s b i r d is
lik e t h a t o f IH n in c Io ru s tic a , b n t I d id n o t h e a r a n y so n g . T lie p r e s e n t sp e c ie s is k n ow n
to th e in h a b i t a n t s a s a n o c c a s io n a l v is ito r , a n d is c a lle d b y som e o f th em B a s c u s h a , by
o th e r s B u d u r in h u . T h e y a lso a s s e r t t h a t i t is fo u n d a l l th r o u g h th e y e a r in t h e h ig h
m o u n ta in s in th e in t e r io r o f th e is la n d , a n d com e s som e tim e s to th e s h o re .”
T iie l a t e G o v e rn o r U s s h o r ohserA'od tb e p r e s e n t s jie cies d u r in g b is e x p e d itio n u p th e
l l iv e r V o lta , a n d th u s re c o rd s t h e c i r c u m s ta n c e :—
“ I n e v e r m e t Avith th i s A la r tin b u t o n c e , u p th e V o lta , Avhere I s h o t i t o u a
h o u g h o v e r h a n g in g tb e w a t e r ; b u t a s g r e a t n um b e r s o f SwalloAvs a p p e a re d sk im m in g
th e s u rfa c e o f t l ie Avater, I do n o t d o u b t t h a t C. c in c ta a a u s am o n g th em . T h e sp e c im e n
th e n c o lle c te d Avas o n e o f a p a i r .”
I n Nortli-eastern Africa Ave know more of th e present s p e c i e s . Dr. von Ilc u g lia
A v r i te s :—
“ T h is Sw a llow is a m ig r a to ry b ird in N .E . A f r ic a . R u p p e ll m e t AA'ith i t in th e
p ro v in c e o f B a r a k it, a n d I fo u n d i t n e a r AdoAA'a, a t A la re b , a n d a lo n g th e b ro o k s o f th e
p ro v in c e s D em b e a a n d E in f a g , Avhich fe e d th e T a n a L a k e , from th e b o g in n in g o f Alay
t l ir o u g b o u t th e ra in y s e a s o n ; a n d la s tly in O c to b e r, a b o v e a m a rs li betAveen T o ju r a a n d
G h n b e t-h a ra b , o n t h e A d a il c o a s t ; h e r e , p e r h a p s , in th e a c t o f m ig r a tin g . I t liv e s o n ly
in p a irs , a n d b re e d s a t th e e n d o f Alay o n th e h ig li b a n k s o f to r r e n t s , in h o riz o n ta l
burroAvs d u g b y itse lf. I wa s n e v e r a b le to re a c h th e n e s t itse lf, ow in g to i t s p o s itio n .
I t is g e n e ra lly n o t m u c h a b o v e th e su rf a c e o f th e AA'ater, a n d j u s t a b o v e d e e p p la c e s w h ic h
c o u ld o n ly b e r e a c h e d b y sAvimmiug.”
Air. T. Blanford states th a t, d u rin g the Abyssinian Ex p ed itio n h e twice m et
with th is Alartin, “ iirst ou the shores of L ak e Ashangi iu April, aud ag ain a b o u t a fo rtn
ig h t la te r ou th e banks of a stream near Au talo .”
Sir AY. C. H a rris procured a specimen a t Angollala in Sboa, and i t was also found
by th e la te Alarquis A n tin o ri a t Daimbi, in th e Adda Galla country, in Alay, an d again
a t Alabul-0ouz and th e ‘ K o lia ’ of Alautek in August, l i e says th a t it was p len tifu l ou
Lake Cialalaka, which is iu th e Adda Galla district. Dr. Bagazzi m et Avith it a t U la iu
Alay, a t H o ra iu J u n e , and a t Daimhi in Ju n e . I n th e collection presented by Emin
P a sh a to the B r i t is h Aluscum, were two female specimens obtained by h im a t AA'adelai in
F e b ru a ry an d October.
The descriptions a re tak en from th e B ritish Aluseum ‘ Catalogue,’ aud the bird
figured is in Captain Shelley’s collection.
C O T I L E C O N G I C A , Reichemic.
CONGO SAND-MAETIN.
Cofile congica, Reichenow, J . f. 0 . 1887, p. 300.
C. fa sc icula piumosa ad finem ta rs i absen te : to rq u e p c c tora li pallidò b ru n n e à : margine c arpali nigro,
albo fasciato.
Hab. in flumine Congico, Africaì occidentalis.
Female (not q u ite ad u lt). Gene ra l colour above mouse-brown, w ith w hitish edges to tlie fe a th e rs o f th e
back (remains o f im m a tu re plumage ), tlic in n e r secondaries b e in g also edged with wliite a t tlu-
e iu ls ; wing-coverts aud quills blackish brown ; u p p e r ta il-co v e rts lig h te r and more ru d d y brown
th a n th e back ; ta il n e a rly square, d a rk browu, with lig h te r brown edges ; crown o f head
decidedly d a rk e r and more dusky browu th a n th e b a ck ; th e e ar-coverts a u d lores also very da rk
brown ; cheeks, th ro a t, a n d u n d e r surfa c e o f body vvbite, with a d is tin c t band o f jiale brown
across tb e lower th ro a t ; sides o f th e body lig h t brown, as also th e u n d e r wiiig-covcrts aud
ax illa rie s; th e coverts rou n d th e bend o f th e wing blackisli, with w hite tips, as i f b a rre d Avith
w h ite : “ iris blackish h r o x r n ( F . B o h n d o r J ) . To ta l len g th 4 iuches, culm cu 0 ‘3, wing 3 ‘75,
ta il 1'6, ta rsu s 0-4.
Hab. E iv e r Congo, W e s t Africa.
T h i s is a v e r y c u rio u s l i tt l e S an d -A Ia rtin , a n d h o ld s a n in t e rm e d i a te p o s itio n betAA’Ccn
tb e tw o s e c tio n s o f t h e g e n u s Cotile. T h u s i t h a s a hroAA’n b a n d o n th e loAA'or th r o a t
lik e C. riparia, b u t in its sm a ll size i t re s em b le s C. minor a n d i t s a l l i e s ; a n d lik e th e
l a t t e r g ro u p o f S a n d -A Ia rtin s , C. congica h a s n o t u f t o f fe a th e r s a t th e b a c k o f th e
ta rs u s , w h ile i t d iffe rs from a ll th e o th e r m em b e rs o f th e g e n u s Cotilc in h a v in g th i;
low e r m a rg in o f th e b e n d o f th e AA'ing b a n 'e d w ith b la c k a n d w h ite .
The original specimens were obtained by Air. F. Bolmdorff a t Alanyanga, on the
Lower Congo, between Vivi aud Stanley Pool. One o f th em having kindly been sent
in exchange hy th e Berlin Aluseum to the British Aluscum, avc have been able to give ¡i.
description of th e hird.
F o r the geographical distribution of this species, vide in fra , Plate 31 [Map].