12
86
G. A. C. HERKLOTS
and the chestnut of the throat is very pale. Iris brown, bill and legs black. This Swallow differs from H. r. rustica in its smaller size and in the broken breast-band." L.T. I, p. 392.
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The Japanese Striated or Golden-Rumped Swallow, L.T. No. 337. Plate 6, two upper figures. Length about 7 inches. "Lores black (bases of feathers greyish); a narrow supercilium over these and over the eye, sides of the head behind the eye, and nape chestnut, the nape streaked with metallic blue-black; crown, hind neck, back, and scapulars steel-blue, the bases of the feathers of the hind neck and upper back white.' "Feathers of rump-band rufous with black shafts; underparts deep- coloured, much suffused with rufous, streaks on breast and abdomen broad, sometimes very broad."
"Upper tail-coverts glossy steel-blue; wings and tail very dark blackish-brown, the lesser wing-coverts somewhat metallic steel-blue, the greater coverts and the tertiaries glossed with the same."
"Tips of shorter and all the longer under tail-coverts glossy blue-black. Irish brown, bill blackish-brown, legs reddish-brown." L.T. I, pp. 395 and 397.
The Siberian House-Martin. L.T. No. 327. Length about 5 inches. "Forehead, crown, hind neck, sides of the neck, and mantle dark steel- blue, the bases of the feathers of the hind neck and of the mantle white; lores and feathers under the eye and the upper part of the ear-coverts black, the latter glossed with steel-blue; wings and tail black, the edge of the wing marked with white; lower back, rump, upper tail coverts, underparts, and legs and feet white, the longest under tail-coverts, and some of the upper with black shafts; under wing-coverts and axillaries smoke-grey, the feathers of the under edge of the wing dark brown with white edges. Legs very heavily feathered, claws greyish." L.T. I, p. 384.
FIELD IDENTIFICATION.
The Eastern House-Swallow. Uniform bluish-black upper parts, no rump patch. Rufous throat, white breast and usually white belly, deeply forked tail with white spots near the tips of the feathers.
The Japanese Striated or Golden Rumped Swallow. Golden orange- chestnut rump-bnnd, underparts suffused with rufous feathers with black shafts.
The Siberian House Martin. Small size. Tail not deeply forked, upper parts dark steel-grey or black, rump and underparts white.
HABITS.
The Eastern House-Swallow is a regular and common summer visitor which breeds in the Colony. It arrives between the 15th and the end of February and leaves the Colony in August, September and early October though a few birds may remain as late as the beginning of November. November 2nd is our latest date for this species. Eastern House-Swallows are so abundant and their habits so well known that detailed description is unnecessary, they can be seen at their best from a high bank overlooking flooded paddy fields close to the surface of which swallows love to fly. This
The Hong Kong Naturalist.