BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



smaller, more cup-shaped and pointed at the bottom, but like it is 

 well lined with feathers. The eggs, three in number, are white with 

 numerous spots and specks of various shades of yellowish or reddish- 

 brown, but these markings are neither so bright nor so bold as 

 those of the Wire-tailed Swallow; they average about 0-72 inches in 

 length by nearly 0'52 in breadth. They appear to build in the same 

 place for successive seasons, and do not. desert the nest when robbed, 

 but lay again within a fortnight or even less. 



98.— THE ALPINE SWIFT. 



Cgpselltts rnelba, Lin. 

 The Alpine Swift occurs not uncommonly in mountainous tracts 

 throughout the district, descending to the plains during the day but 

 returning at night to roost. It is possessed of amazing powers of 

 flight, and covers vast distances daily in search of food. 



Its breeding haunts were long unknown, but it has now been ascer- 

 tained to breed in the mountainous tracts of Nassick,*and will doubt- 

 less prove to do so in most other suitable places ; they breed in deep 

 clefts and fissures of almost inaccessible rocks; the nest is a very 

 solid structure in comparison with that uf the Common Swift ; it is 

 shallow, and is usually fastened to both sides of the fissure, which 

 often stretches upwards into an overhanging cliff, and it is a most 

 difficult nest to take. They do not seem to breed at any particular 

 season, but egg^, have been taken early in February. 



Mr. Littledale found a colony of about eighteen nests in the face 

 of a smooth overhanging crag in Dutchkut, Cashmere, but they were 

 quite inaccessible. 



Nassick, February, J. Davidson, C.S. 



100.— THE COMMON INDIAN SWIFT. 



Cypstllus ajjinis, J. E. Gr. 



The Common Indian Swift is abundant throughout the district, 

 and is a permanent resident; it has several broods iu the year, and 

 eggs and young may be found at all seasons. 



They are very accommodating iu the choice of nesting sites. Nests 

 may be found in any of the following situations : — 



[n holes in the faces of old walls, mosques, forts, or other old 

 buildings; in these cases the nests are detached, unless the hole 

 happens to be large enough to contain two or more. 



* Vide U. N. H. S. Journal, p. 47, No. 1, Vol. III. 



