■Tune, and at Delhi I have found their nests also in September. They build long retort-
shaped nests made of pellets of mud, plastering them against the roof of culverts underneath,
against the top of eaves, in hanks of rivers, and in ruins, against tlio roof of any
deserted mosque. Three, I tliink, is the ordinary number of eggs laid; these are pure
wliite, and rather cylindrical in shape.'
“ Colonel Butler writes ‘ The Eed-rumped Swallow breeds iu the neighbourhood
of Deosa in June and July. The nest is usually stuck to the roof of caves or holes in
rocks, and, like that of other Swallows, is built of mud externally, and lined with dry
grass and feathers. It is of a peculiar form, hoiiig completely closed up, of an oval
shape, terminating at one end with a tubular passage about 7 or 8 inches long, by wliich
the birds enter. During the period of incubation, the female sits very closely, suiferiug
a great noise to he made without flying off the nest. It is not uncommon to find both
birds in the nest during the time the hen is sitting. I have taken nests in April at
Mount Ahoo, hut these were eKee]jtional instances, as they do not as a rule commence
hmlding before the middle or end ot 3Iay. In the plains they often build under bridges,
archways across nullah culverts, &c.’
“ Mr. Benjamin Aitken mentions that ‘Between the 20th and 31st May, 1871,
Jordon's Bed-rumpod Swallow was observed to he in possession of nests, in similar
places to those of Cotile concolor, at Kliandalla, a hill-sfation on the top of the Bliore
Ghat.'
“ Mr. James Aitken says; — ‘ This is one of those birds which seem highly to
appreciate the advantages of civilization, and to think, like Cowper’s cat. that men take
a great deal of trouble to please f hem. In Berar they have almost discarded tlio mosques
which gave them their name, and have betaken themselves to the culverts of the roads,
which are now being constructed all over the country. M’herever a road is made some
of the culverts are sure to be taken possession of, as soon as the rains commence, bv
pairs of these Swallows, wbioh may be seen darting iu at one end and out at the other,
or hawking about for flies over tlio pools of water at tlie road-side; their fliglit has,
however, nothing of the extreme rapidity of that of tlie Swifts or Wire-tailed Swallow's.
During the cold season the young often assemble in large flocks, but these all disperse,
or perhaps migrate, as the weather gets warmer, and only a few pairs remain to breed
during the monsoon. The nest is of mud, with a qn-olonged entrance running along the
wall, and is lined with coarse grass and feathers. Tlie eggs are long shaped and pure
white, without spot of any kind. In the subterraneous situation in which the nest is so
often placed, and with the air still further excluded by the long neck, it is a marvel bow
the young escape suffocation.’
“ Mr. Davison remarks This species breeds on the Nilgliiris about the com-
nienoemcnt of April. The nest, as usual with Swallows, is composed externally of mud,
and thickly lined with feathers; it is shaped like the half of a ITorence ilask. It is
placed generally against tlie roof of a cave or overhanging rook. The eggs are generally
three iu number, pure w hite, aud of rather an elongated form. Several nests arc often
“ It is very familiar about the houses of most of our hill-stations, hut I think that it
constructs its nest by preference under the oaves and in the verandahs of empty houses
and staging bungalows, which arc seldom in the hills occupied for many successive davs
in any month. At the same time its nest is often to he seen under projecting lcdge.s of
cliffs, and occasionally, where these occur, in ruined buildings.
“ The breeding-time, according to my experience, is from April to August; but I
have taken a dozen eggs in July to one in any other month. The nests arc very similar
to those of its plains congener, long and retort-shaped, very neatly built with clay pellets,
as a rule very warmly liucd first with grass or fibres and fine roots, and then with
various-sized feathers, of which there is often quite a large bunch. They average, however,
much larger than those of II. erytliropytjia, and one I recently measured had the
tulmlar entrance 13 inches in length and the chamber more than 7 inches in diameter
exteriorly.
“ Mr. Brooks remarks ‘ The nest is always a half-retort, fixed to the underside
of an overhanging rock or cave, generally with only one entrance ; hut a friend of mine,
Mr. Horne, gives me an account of one fixed to one of the verandah rafters of a house
where the nest has tw-o entrances.
“ ‘ In the hills about Almora I found the nest several times, sometimes in open
exposed places, at other times where the rocks were overgrown with wood. The eggs
resemble those I took iu the plains. The plains bird does not breed till the hot winds
aro over, at the end of June or beginning of July; hut in the hills I found eggs nearly
hatched in May. Others at Binsur. Mr, llorne informs me, have only just laid in the
middle of July, when I write. The hill-hird breeding in the verandahs of houses, os
well as in eaves, accords with the habit of the Chinese bird, w hich Mr, Swinhoe remarks
‘ breeds under the roof-tops.’ ’
“ Captain Hutton says :—‘ This is the common Swallow of the Doon aud hills,
arriving in the latter locality in March, and building its retort-shaped nest of mud
beneath the caves of houses, against winclow-framcs, at the side of verandah beams, and
other suitable situations; the lining is of feathers. Some eggs taken on the 20th of
May were hard-set, but otbcr broods were still earlier, as a nest placed against the
window of my room bad then contained young ones for some days previously. During
the heavy mists of the rainy season these nests often fall by their own weight from the
quantity of moisture imbibed.
“ ‘ When fur removed from houses, these birds resort to loftv rocks, beneath the
ledges of which the nest is placed. Its sl.apo is ilattisli hemispherical, witli some variation,
being at times more globose, with a long neck forming tlie entrance passage, and
thus giving the nest a retort sliapc. M-heii the bird has selected the spot on which it
intends to build, it usually deposits a whifo ehalky substance, hy wav of cement, against
the wall or beam as the ease may he, as an adhesive foundation for the subsequent wall
of mud. Mithout this ¡irocaution the weight of the material would cause it to part
from its foundation. This same whitish earth may also ho seen in the narrow neck of
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