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Show 1870.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON ETHIOPIAN HIRUNDINIDEE. 297 extending on to the sides of the neck ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white; upper part of the breast, flanks, and under wing-coverts dark earthy brown, with a slight dash of grey; bill black ; feet dark brown. Total length 5 inches, of wing 3*9, tail 1*9. Young. Similar to the adult, but not such a deep brown, and having the wing-coverts, secondary quills, and lower part of the back edged with fulvous ; the breast-band not nearly so dark as in the adult, and edged with grey, the brown colour not extending so distinctly on to the flanks, so that the greater part of the breast is white; bill black ; feet dark brown. Total length 4*5 inches, wing 3*9, tail 1*7. This, our well-known Sand-martin, only extends into North-eastern Africa. Dr. von Heuglin states that it is rather rare in N.E. Africa and Arabia. 2. COTYLE EQUES. Cotyle eques, Hartl. P. Z. S. 1866, p. 325. Hirundo torquata, Keul. Ned. Tidschr. iii. p. 384 (1866). Hab. Ilha do Principe (Dohrn, Keulemans). I have never seen a specimen of this bird, which, however, would seem to be distinct from Cotyle cincta by reason of the white spot on the outer tail-feather. Mr. Keulemans gives me the accompanying details respecting it :- " I observed this species for several days in Prince's Island. The first time was in June, when I found a pair flying along the shores of the bay which is near the town of the island. They were very tame, and were continually resting on the twigs of some small tree or bush. This species did not seem to be very strong on the wing; for after flying up and down for a few moments, both birds repeatedly rested for some time. I shot one, which proved to be the female ; but, judging from what I saw of the living birds, the male did not appear to differ in colour. I unfortunately did not secure the latter; for, immediately on the fall of his mate, he flew up high in the air and disappeared. In September I saw another individual sitting in exactly the same place where I had already killed the previous one, but I was obliged to abstain from shooting it, for fear of hitting some nigger boys who were in the neighbourhood. The call-note of this bird is like that of Hirundo rustica; but I did not hear any song. The present species is known to the inhabitants as an occasional visitor, and is called by some of them Pascusha, by others Undurinha. They also assert that it is found all through the year in the high mountains in the interior of the island, and comes sometimes to the shore." 3. COTYLE CINCTA. Hirondelle brune a collier du Cap de Bonne Esperance, Buff. Pl. Enl. 723. Hirundo cincta, Bodd. Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 45 (1783, ex Buff.). Cotyle cincta, Gray, Gen. of B. i. p. 60 (1845); id. Cat. Fiss. Brit. Mus. p. 30 (1848); Horsf. & Moore, Cat. B. Mus. E.-I. Co. |