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Show 248 ON THE COMMON SWALLOW. [Apr" *°» has yet to be thoroughly confirmed. The statements of Professor Blasius, which are reproduced in Dr. Bree's ' Birds of Europe ' (vol. iii. p. 171), need confirmation as to its interbreeding with the Common Swallow and being generally found in Europe ; for we have every reason to believe that the adult spring plumage of H. rustica, when the under surface is deeply suffused with buff', has been mistaken for II. riocouri. The latter bird may always be distinguished from the Common Swallow by the uniform chestnut tint of the whole under surface below the chest-band, and also by the spots on the tail being of a pale rufous colour and not white. The range of the H. riocouri is limited to Palestine and Egypt, extending not further south than Nubia; and in these countries it is not migratory. In confirmation of the above remarks we may quote from the writings of Dr. von Heuglin (Orn. N. O. Afr. p. 152) and Dr. Tristram (Ibis, 1867, p. 361). " Hirundo cahirica," writes the former author, " in mode of nidification and song, as far as I know, hardly differs from H. rustica ; but it is a resident in Egypt, though not so further south *. It breeds in the months of January to April. In Arabia 1 have observed the true H. rustica, but not in the bright-breasted plumage, which latter, however, I have never found in the breeding-season in company with H. cahirica." W e also add his remarks on H. rustica (Orn. N. O. Afr. p. 151). " In the beginning of March to early in May, and between August and October, this bird is frequently seen in companies on the migration, often mixing with other species along the Nile and the Red Sea, and even on the true steppes. On the 15th of November, 1857, I even observed on the Somali coast a flight of migrating Chimney-Swallows, and believe that they extend their migrations far to the south of the equator, according to Ayres to Natal. Amongst the Chimney- Swallows which are found during the summer on the Red Sea I have never observed H. cahirica." Dr. Tristram says (/. ci)-" Hirundo cahirica remains the whole year, and is found both on the coast (in the maritime plains) and throughout the length of the Jordan valley. No one can observe this bird in the Holy Land without being satisfied of its distinctness from Hirundo rustica. It is true we can give no other diagnosis than the difference of coloration on the lower parts, these being chestnut instead of white or brownish white ; but of the hundreds of Swallows of both sexes to be seen throughout the winter not one of the common sort could be detected. There is neither fading nor intensifying of the chestnut lower plumage at any time of the year. Specimens shot at all seasons are precisely similar. In spring their numbers rapidly increase ; and from the middle of March they become distributed over the whole country, the higher as well as the lower grounds, while along with them appear many of our common species. In the higher grounds these perhaps predominate; in the lower certainly the Hirundo cahirica is most numerous. I never could detect * A specimen from Nubia, collected bv Riippell, is in the Leyden Museum.- R. B. S. |
