HIRUNDO.
Feet not feathered ; outer tail feather much lengthened ; nest of mud ; eggs white, red spotted or pure white.
Hirundo rustica rustica L. SWALLOW. Fr. Hirondelle ; Ger. Schwalbe ; Ital. Rondine ; Swed. Ladusvala.
d 9 Above steel blue ; beneath bully white to reddish cream ; forehead and throat chestnut ; gorget steel blue ; diagonal white patches on inner webs of tail feathers ; tail much forked, outer feathers about 47 m.m. longer than next. Bill black. Legs and feet dark brown. 12o-126. Tarsus 12-13. Bill 6-7.
Breeds.—All Europe (including British Isles), W. Siberia, N.W. Africa to Sahara, Asia Minor, Caucasus and east to Himalayas. Migrates ; occurs on passage Egypt, Malta, Canaries. Winters C. and S. Africa, India.
H. rustica transitiva Hartert. Closely resembles "rustica" with reddish underparts, but always darker, most marked on under tail coverts. Intermediate between typical form and " savignii." Breeds.—Coast region of Palestine. Partly resident, some
migrate ; has occurred in Egypt in winter and been reported from Uganda at the same season.
H. rustica savignii Stephens. Underparts reddish chestnut, almost as deep as on throat ; patches on tail feathers- pale red. Residezzt.—Egypt and Nubia.
Hirundo daurica rufula Temminck. RED-RUMPED SWALLOW.
9 Above steel blue, hind collar and rump pale chestnut ; beneath reddish buff with narrow dark shaft-streaks. Bill black. Legs and feet brown. Wing d 117-126, 9 115-123 (W.). Tarsus 13-14. Bill 5-6.
Breeds.—Greece, Cyprus, Asia Minor and east to Afghanistan ; Morocco ; also probably in S. Spain near Tarifa, Sicily, and S. Italy. Occurs Tunisia, W. Algeria and Egypt on passage ; doubtful if breeds. Has occurred S. France, S. England, Heligoland, and Fair Isle.
The typical race "H. d. daurica" is E. Siberian.