A d u lt fem a le . Does n o t d iife r from th e m a le in colour. T o ta l le n g th 7 inchea, wing 5-1, ta il ;t-G7,
ta r s u s 0-65.
Hab. F rom J a v a a n d F lo re s , n o r th to th e Bu rm e se c o u n trie s , S o u th e rn C h in a and Form osa .
This species is as large as H. dimriGa, having the wing from 4'65 to 5'3 inches, but it is
much whiter below, more coarsely streaked, and has distinct hlaek shaft-lines to the
rufous feathers of the lower back and rump. It was originally desorihed from Java,
where we suspected that It would be only a winter visitant, but Dr. Vorderman states
that it breeds at Batavia. Mr. Wallace also procured the species in the island of Flores.
During the Steere Expedition to the Philippines, Mr. Moseley shot two specimens in the
islands of Luzon and Masbate at the end of April. Our next habitat for the spoeies is
the island of Formosa, where, according to Mr. Swinlioe, it abounds in every homestead.
The species is doubtless found throughout Southern China, aud it possibly migr.ates
to Assam, as Mr. J. R. Cripps procured a specimen at Dibrughur in Novcmljer. Two
examples were procured in the Karen Hills in January, by Major Wardlaw llamsay, at
a height of 3000 feet, and the same naturalist also obtained a specimen at Karen-nee on
the 29th of March, at a height of 2000 feet.
Swinhoe thus describes the nesting of the species in Formosa :—
“ On taking possession of our native house at Tamsuy, I observed a nest of tliis
Swallow under the rafters in the central hall. It was exteriorly built of specks of mud,
like the nests of the Martin, but had a neck-like entrance, giving the whole the form of
a French flask, flattened against the roof; the inside was lined amply with feathers.
Pallas’s figure gives a very good idea of its structure. The montli, however, does not
always point upwards, hut is adapted in form and direction to the shape of tlie spot
against which it is placed. At the close of Marcli the pair to which the nest belonged
returned, and in April began to repair the old nest. Towards the close of this montii
the female was sitting on three white, unspotted eggs. Tllo male ami female share
the duties of incubation, the female usually taking the longest spell. For the sake of
science, we let the birds liave tlieir own way, though they made a great mess about our
small house, and nearly drove us wild with their loud discordant twittering.
“ 111 a ramble one spring morning, at dawn, I saw largo numbers of these Swallows
perching on some high bamboos. The sun was fast dispelling the thick night-fog that
still hung low and heavy, and the birds seemed in high spirits at the return of fine
weather. They fluttered from branch to branch, and as they regained a footing, rocked
backwards and forwards before recovering their balance. It was in April, and they
were all pau-ed, the male being always distinguishable by his larger size and longer
tail. In pairs they sang, or rattier twittered, their notes kee-toee-hei, like sounds that
might he produced by some metal instrument sadly out of tunc. The male loudly
sang his bar, and the female followed in a lower key. The male tlion fluttered his
wings and began again; the female followed suit. In this way the whole clump
of tallj graceful bamboos looked alive with these birds, and resounded with their strange
notes. Some pairs would start away and pursue one another, at first, with a smooth,
skimming flight; then in an excited manner they would stagger along and, fluttering
their wings, sing lustily their notes of love.”
The description is copied from the British Museum ‘ Catalogue of Birds,’ and is
di-awn up from the typical specimen in the Leyden Museum. The Plate represents a
very strongly marked individual from Karen-nee in the Tweeddale collection. The
majority of the specimens examined are whiter underneath, and have not such a pronounced
black patch on the ear-coverts.
3 c 2