tlie nest, more especially at the mouth, n'hcre strength is required to resist the constant
abrasion that would otherwise ensue from the frequent entrance and exit of the bird.
Generally speahing, this chalky cement is apjilied to any part that may from circumstances
appear to rcquii’c strcngthcuing, as it likewise gives consistency to the mud.
Sometimes, if the situation aJfords sufficient room, the long ucck projects in a straight
line from the body of the nest, but where the space is confined, or an obstacle interposes,
the neck is turned off at an angle, and iu such cases there is pretty sure to be a layer of
the chalky cement at the point of deviation from the previous direction. Wlien, however,
the material is of a sufficient consistency to be adhesive without the cement, none
is applied. In the construction of the nest the mud is laid on in small rounded lumps,
which gives a rude and knotty appearance to the surface. The lining is abundant and
is composed of fine grass and feathers.
“ ‘ There are frequently two broods from the same nest in the same season, the first
in the end of May and beginning of June, the other in July aud August. The birds
that built against my window reared one brood in June, and, as soon as the young were
able to fly, they were escorted by the old birds duriug the day and were initiated iu the
art of fly-catching, returning to the nest about sunset or earlier if the raiu was heavy.
This confiuuod for about ten days, when the young birds disappeared, and the old ones
laid again in the same nest towards the end of July.’
“ The late Captain Beavan mentions that he ‘ found a nest which was built in the
verandah of the dak bungalow at Fagoo ou the 2nd August, ISOG. It was then l)ut just
finished, and the female had not yet begun to lay her eggs. Tlie nest is like tliat of
II. mstica, made of mud, but lias a fnnnel-sbapcd entrance, some 4 or 5 inches in length,
continued from the top of the nest along the angle caused by the meeting of the wall
and the roof. The female keeps inside the nest, and from the continued twittering
which she made when visited by the male, I thought at first that the nest contained
young; and it was not until I drove her out that I discovered my mistake.’
“ The eggs of this species are similar to those of II. erythropygia, except that they
are slightly larger. They are long ovals, slightly compressed towards one end, pure
white, the shell of exquisite fineness, and somewhat, but not very, glossy.
“ In length they vary from 0 ‘81 to 0’89 inch, and in breadth from 0‘55 to 0*G inch,
but the average is 0‘85 to 0 ‘55 inch.”
The desci'iptious are copied from the British Museum ‘ Catalogue.’ The specimen
figured is iu the llume collection. The drawing, taken by Mr. IVyatt duriug his visit
to the Himalayas, represents the snows of Nepal and Mount Everest.
placed close together, aud often some favourite site is apparently the bone of contention
between several pairs.
“ ‘ I once fouud, a few miles out of Ooty, several nests of this bird placed on the underside
of a large overhaaging rock, and although the brecding-season had long passed (it
was, I think, in the early part of November that I found these nests), I nevertheless
climbed up to where they were, to sec if there were any addled eggs. After
examining a few of the nests, I came to one wliich had the tubular entrance walled up,
and the mud perfectly liard and dry. On breaking away a part of the nest I found a
dead bird in it, which had come quite to the sealed end of the tuhular neck, and had
there died; the nest contained three old eggs, of which the contents had partially dried
up. I can only account for this bricking, or, I should say, walling up of the entrance
to the nest, by supposing that some of the other birds had coveted and failed to obtain
this site for their nests. It is only natural to suppose that more than one pair were
concerned in the business, as it would have taken at least one bird to keep the bird from
leaving its nest, and another to keep its mate away from the nest, and probably another,
or several other pairs, to close the entrance.’
“ Dr. Jerdon (who, however, did not discriminate this and the jireccdiug species)
states that ‘ a few couples, at all events, breed iu the south of India; for I have seen
their nests on a rock at the Diinliutty waterfall on the Nilgbiris, twenty or thirty
together. I have fouud one or two nests in deserted outhouses iu Mysore; and they
are said to breed very constantly on large buildings, old mosques, pagodas, and such
like ; hence the native name of Mosque-Swallow in the south of India; but I rather
think there is a considerable increase of their numbers during the cold weather, and it
was no doubt at the time of their northward migration that Colonel Sykes saw them in
such vast numbers at Fooua. The nest, as figured by Pallas and observed by myself, is
a spherical or oval-shaped mud nest, with a long neck or tubular entrance, of tlie kind
which is called a retort nest, and the eggs are white, faintly marked with rusly-colourod
spots.’
“ Miss Cockburn, writing from Kotaghorry, says :—‘ I only oiicc fouud a nest, and
this was on the 9th April. It was constructed under a shelving rock, raised so high
from the ground as to allow of my walking under it. The cave, if I may so call it, was
in a wild, lonely locality, suggestive more of bears than Swallows.
“ ‘ The nest, which was built of clay, was about ^ foot long, the entrance being at
one end. It was warmly lined with feathers, and contained three pure white eggs, very
long iu shape. As I wislied to know if the numlier would be increased, they were left
for a couple of days. Ou visiting the spot again, I found the length of the nest had
been increased considerably, the eggs being left at the far end; but as there were no
more than three, they were taken possession of.’
“ I also have noticed the birds (or one of them) still building, and yet fouud eggs
more or less incubated within.
“ The eggs are pure white, with scarcely any perceptible gloss; generally a long
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