1 74 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland, 



sills of houses newly erected, to which the bird gained access by 

 means of an aperture, about an inch in width, that the careless 

 builder had neglected to close up. An ornithological friend has seen 

 swifts fly under the eaves of the low thatched cottages in the village 

 of Magheralin (county Down), where they doubtless nestle. 



This species, like the martin, frequents the basaltic precipices of 

 the north coast of Ireland, from their southern extremity at the Cave 

 hill near Belfast, to their northern termination above the sand-hills 

 of Magilligan ; and, from their being ever present in these situations 

 during their sojourn with us, they doubtless have their dwellings in 

 their crevices*. 



In the fifth volume of the 'Mag. of Nat. Hist./ p. 736, Mr. Couch 

 remarks, " It is not long that swifts have frequented stations con- 

 venient for my observation. At first they were about two pairs, but 

 they have now increased to four or five ; and it is singular, that ac- 

 cording to my observation, there is always an odd bird." A similar 

 circumstance was, for the first time, remarked by me in the summer 

 of 1829, when three swifts repaired to Wolfhillf, and took up their 

 abode between the slates and window-frame of a loft not more than 

 twenty feet in height. Here, where a shot was not permitted to be 

 fired, and the odd bird could not have lost its partner by the fowling- 



* White of Selborne mentions swifts " breeding in the sides of a deep 

 chalk-pit at Odiham." At the end of June 1835, I observed numbers of 

 these birds about the high limestone cliffs which rise in picturesque beauty 

 above the river Derwent, at Matlock in Derbyshire, where it was presumed 

 that they nestled. 



f This locality, situated about three miles from Belfast, is elevated 500 

 feet above the sea, and is a favourite haunt of the Hirundinidce. During 

 the sojourn of the swift, this species, with the three others, may frequently 

 be seen at one view, the swallow, martin and sand martin sweeping in com- 

 pany over the ponds, whilst the swift, though generally maintaining a supe- 

 rior altitude, occasionally breaks through their ranks; the whole of the 

 species, on such occasions, and indeed at all times, exhibiting the most per- 

 fect amity. The swift builds here under the eaves of an out-house, the 

 rafters of which display the nest of the swallow beneath them ; under an 

 adjoining roof the " cradle" of the martin appears, and not more than a 

 furlong distant is the burrow of the sand martin. It is extremely interesting 

 to the lover of nature thus to behold at a glance all the species of these 

 attractive summer wanderers that regularly visit the British Islands ; and 

 where they do thus appear, there are generally some charming features of 

 natural scenery. 



When at Kilrea in July 1839, where the banks of the river Bann are 

 picturesquely wooded, and the expansive stream of water is impeded in its 

 progress from Lough Neagh to the ocean by low and scattered rocks which 

 rise here and there above it, and in a moment change the smooth mirror of 

 its surface into a scene of active and M lusty life," such as delighteth the 

 angler's heart, I observed the four species, and swifts, not less than a hun- 

 dred in number, keeping almost on the same level with the others. 



In Malta, again, on the 17th of A prill 841, the day very fine and warm, our 

 four Hirundinidce were in like manner observed flying low and in company 

 wherever we walked about the island, and all the species in numbers similar 

 to what they are in their most favoured haunts in the British Islands. This 

 is a fortnight earlier than the swift generally appears in the north of Ireland. 



