. The birds of South Africa. Birds -- South Africa. 30 CYPSELID^ CH^TUKA 391. Chaetura stictilsema. Beichenoiv's Spine-tail. Cypselus stictilsemus, Beiclienow, Orn. Centralbl. 1879, p. 114. Chaetura stictilaema, Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 492 (1892) ; Eeichenoiv, Voff. D. Ost-Afr. p. 142, fig. 66 (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 104 (1896) ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 93 [Zambesi]. Description.—General colour dark brown, a white band across the rump above and the abdomen below, separated from one another by the dark coloured sides of the body; chin and throat dull white with dark brown edges to
. The birds of South Africa. Birds -- South Africa. 30 CYPSELID^ CH^TUKA 391. Chaetura stictilsema. Beichenoiv's Spine-tail. Cypselus stictilsemus, Beiclienow, Orn. Centralbl. 1879, p. 114. Chaetura stictilaema, Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 492 (1892) ; Eeichenoiv, Voff. D. Ost-Afr. p. 142, fig. 66 (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 104 (1896) ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 93 [Zambesi]. Description.—General colour dark brown, a white band across the rump above and the abdomen below, separated from one another by the dark coloured sides of the body; chin and throat dull white with dark brown edges to the feathers; primaries, secondaries and rectrices narrowly margined with white, often not very obvious when the plumage is abraded. " Iris black ; bill, legs, and feet Fig. 16.—Tail of Chcpinra sticHlcpma. " Length in the llesh 5-5; wing 5-7 ; culmen ; (Alexander.) This bird can be at once recognised by the shafts of the tail feathers, which are very stiff and produced into perceptible prominent spinous points. Distrihution.—The type of this species was obtained at Ualimi in Useguha, a district in German east Africa, by Dr. Fischer. The bird has also been noticed near Mombasa. Eecently an example has been shot by Capt. Alexander near Zumbo on the Zambesi. Habits.—Capt. Alexander states as follows:—"Only once ob- served near Zumbo, on November 8, when a small party of six birds appeared and remained in the vicinity for two days, leaving again on the third day. The flight is remarkably powerful, while at the same time the rump is very ; Mr. Blanford, speaking of the Indian species, states that he believes the Spine-tails are absolutely the swiftest of living birds ; they far exceed the other Swifts in this respect. They are usually seen in small flocks and. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illus
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