u
iiapc-baiid, wbich sh o u ld b y rig h ts be a e h a ra c tc r o f / / . senegalensis ; an d , la s tly , in one specimen
witli e n tire ly b la ck ta il-fe a th e rs , th e red d isb -b row u nap e -b au d is a lto g e th e r w a n tin g ; so th a t it
would he p ossible to e stab lish fo u r v a rie tie s.” O u r expe rienc e o f th e spe c imens in E n g lish
m u s eum s h a s n o t confirmed th e v a ria tio n s in ch a ra c te r de ta iled by D r. Rciclienow, a n d a t p re s e n t
we ke ep th e two species d is tin c t. F rom th e o b s e rva tions given by th e above-named n a tu r a lis t it is
evident, lioivever, th a t , o n th e n o r th e rn lim its o f its ra n g e , / / . monte iri shows a ten d en cy to
coalesce w ith U . senegalensis, au d th e two forms may in te rb re e d on th e Congo.
Hab. W e s t Africa from th e L o an g o C o a st to O iid o u g a ; E a s t A fric a from th e Z a n z ib a r d is tr ic t to th e
S h ire riv e r.
T h is fine Swallow, as big as II. senegalensis, and therefore one of the largest members of
the family, is confined to Africa, where it occupies a raoi*e southern area in that continent
than its near ally. It was described by Dr. Uartlaub from a specimen brought from
Angola by the late IMr. ,1. J. Monteiro, one of the many true naturalists wlio have lost
their lives in the Dark Continent. It appears to extend along the west coast of Africa
as far as the Congo region, for Dr. Palkenstein seat specimens from tho Loango coast,
which Dr. Ilcichenow has described as showing a great tendency to develop the characters
of II. senegalensis. Both species have been procured by Dr. Luean and M. Louis Petit
at Landana, on the Congo, and it is quite possible that they iuterbreed in this locality.
Monteiro’s Swallow also extends its n\ngc into the provinces of Benguela and Mossa-
incdes, where it has been procured by Seubor Anchieta at Biballa and Capangombc, and
the same explorer has procured it ou the lliver Cuuene. The late Mr. C. J. Andersson
met with the species at Ondonga in Ovarapo Liind, and a specimen in the Britisii Museum
was shot by him at Elephant Vley. He observes “ To the best of my knowledge this
line Swallow (of which I first obtained a few individuals ou the river Okavango in 1859)
never extends its migration so far south as Damara Land proper; and, indeed, very few
individuals come much further south than the Okavango.”
On the eastern side of tho continent this Swallow probably does not cross the
Zambesi, Sir John Jvirk observed it “ on the banks of the river Shire, away from
dwellings, flying near the water, and alighting on the clay banks, where it was observed
entering holes; but whether these had originally been formed by Bec-caters was not
ascertained.”
It would appear to be more plentiful to the northward. The late Dr. Bohm says
that it was common in the neighbouriiood of JLxkoma. He procured it in December,
February, and March, at this place, and specimens were in his last collection from Qua
ilpara, where he met with it iu July in the mountaiu-forests, and also at Maruugu, to
the westward of Lake Tanganyika.
Sir John Kirk has procured it at Faugani and iu the Usamhara Hills, and it goes
as far north as Mombasa, having been met with here by tlio Rev. ilr . 'Wakciiold.
Dr. Fischer states that he often saw it in tho neighbourhood of Mombasa, mostly in pairs.
In the beginning of August he fell in with eiglit specimens sitting on a dead tree, some
of them being young birds. Dr. Hildebrandt found tho species rarer near ilombasa and
in Ukamba than II. pttella. Dr. Fischer notes its occurrence near Malindi in !Mav and
June, breeding tliere in the latter month. In December some were seen at the mouth of
the Tana, and he likewise states that he collected this Swallow in small numbers near
Fangani in December, and near Little Aruscha Lake in March. Ho also obtained a
specimen at Komboko, in the Kilima Njaro district, on the 1st of Ajn-iJ. liis other localitv
for the species is Bagamoyo. The late Dr. Bohm also mentions having shot a Swallow,
which he believed to be this species, at Konko in Ugogo.
Mr. Andersson observes “ Those that came under my notice were always found
in large open forests, flying high above the trcc-tops in pursuit of their insect prey, or
occasionally perching on lofty, isolated, and aged trees, and they wero in consequence l»y
no means easy to procure.” Dr. Bohm states that it is more often found in the clearing's
of the forests and open spaces, and be has often noticed it flying over tlie swamps, like
our European Swallow, with its wings touching the water. In the latter half of February
the birds were iu great numbers, in pairs, frequenting the bare trees and stumps, cspeel-
ally in the viciuity of the low-lying wet rice-lields. Twice, on the 9th and 22nd of
February, he shot a female bird with some small lumps of earth in licr mouth, and lie
fancied that they must nest on the trees. Dr. Fischer also noticed a curious habit of
this Swallow, that they would descend suddenly from a gixiat height, and rest on a dead
bough, a favourite position, w-hieh they appeared to affect for a long time.
Tlie descriptions arc taken from specimens iu the British iluseum, and the figure is
drawn from one iu Captain Shelley’s collection.