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Show 1870.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON ETHIOPIAN HIRUNDINIDEE. 317 two interior feathers of the latter ; thighs white; bill black ; feet dark brown. Young. Above blue-black, but not so rich or so glossy as in the adult; quills and tail dusky brown, with scarcely any perceptible gloss on the upper surface; lower part of the back pale rufous ; throat, cheeks, and under wing-coverts pure white; sides of the neck and breast rufous, but not so rich as in the adult; under tail-coverts rufous, the basal half of the two interior feathers black. Hab. Angola, Massangano and Cambambe (Monteiro); Biballa (Anchieta) ; Ambaca (Anchieta) ; Damara-land (Andersson) ; Zambesi (Kirk). This fine species was first discovered by Mr. Monteiro in Angola, and would seem to be by no means uncommon in Damara-land, whence several specimens were sent to Europe by the late Mr. C. J. Andersson, principally from the vicinity of Elephant Vley in that country. It has since been procured by Dr. Kirk in the Zambesi; and the description given above of the young bird is taken from a specimen sent home by him, and now in Lord Walden's collection. 17. HIRUNDO SEMIRUFA. Hirundo semirufa, Sund. Gilfv. Kong. Vet. Akad. Forh. 1850, p. 107; Sharpe, Ibis, 1869, p. 188; Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 290; Gray, Hand-1. of B. i. p. 69 (1869). Above dark blue, inclining to indigo ; rump chestnut; upper tail-coverts dark blue ; quills black, brownish underneath, glossed above with dark blue; tail black glossed with blue above, every feather, except the two centre ones, having a very large white spot on the inner web ; space between the bill and the eye velvety black ; cheeks and ear-coverts deep blue-black ; entire under surface chestnut, very deep on the flanks and abdomen ; under wing-coverts fulvous ; edge of the wing fulvous mottled with black ; bill black ; feet dark brown. Hab. Natal (Wahlberg, Mus. R. B. S.) ; Transvaal (Ayres). 18. HIRUNDO GORDONI. Hirundo melanocrissa, Jard. Contr. to Orn. 1849, p. 4 (nee Riipp.). Hirundo gordoni, Jard. Contr. to Orn. 1851, p. 141, et 1852, p. 47 ; Miill. Journ. f. Orn. 1855, p. 4 ; Hartl. Orn. Westafr. p. 27 (1857) ; id. Journ. f. Orn. 1861, p. 103 ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1809, p. 188. Cecropis gordoni, Cass. Proc. Phil. Acad. 1859, p. 33. Above glossy indigo-blue, duller on the wing-coverts; quills brownish black, glossed above, especially on the secondaries, with dark blue; rump sienna; upper tail-coverts dark indigo; tail brownish black washed with dull indigo above, the inner webs of all but the six central feathers having a large white patch; entire under surface sienna, a little paler on the throat, thighs, and under wing-coverts; bill black ; feet dark brown. Total length 6*5 inches ; wing 4*5 ; tail 4. Hab. Gambia (Mus. Brem.); Fantee (Gordon); Abomey (Fraser); Ashantee (Mus. Brit.); Gaboon (Verreaux); Ogobai River ( Du Chaillu). PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1870, No, XXII. |