Birds, 463 



lony of swifts (for I find that they, like their congeners the 

 martin {H. urbica) and sand martin {H. riparia), delight in 

 associating together, whenever it is practicable), consisting of 

 three pairs, these being all that visited this village last spring. 

 They took up their quarters under the eaves of the roof of the 

 church, all of them entering by the same aperture: this was 

 too small to admit my hand ; and I was, in consequence, under 

 the necessity of untiling a very large space before I succeeded 

 in finding the nests. There were but two, which were placed 

 in opposite directions from the entrance : one contained three 

 eggs of a clear white colour ; the other not any. I was much 

 surprised to find these nests so totally different in their struc- 

 ture from what I had hitherto been led to expect. Instead of 

 being "loose and slovenly structures " (A. R. Y., V. 60.)j I 

 found them both (for they were precisely similar) quite the 

 contrary ; being very neat and compact. They were chiefly 

 composed of that part of the blade (the sheath) which is left 

 adhering round the straw : this is a light substance, and there 

 can scarcely be a doubt that it is obtained by the bird on the 

 wing, as it is waved about by the wind ; the remainder was 

 of dry grass, none of the pieces more than about 6 in. in 

 length ; not any feathers whatever. These substances were 

 very closely interwoven, and were held firmly together by an 

 adhesive substance very much resembling glue, and so dis- 

 posed round the inner edge of the nest as to hold the straws 

 in their places ; the whole forming quite a cup of an oval 

 shape, of about 4 in. in length, not very deep. These facts 

 will show, I think, that the swift is entitled to more merit 

 than has hitherto been awarded to it. In fact, I think 

 it scarcely possible for the sparrow to occupy those places 

 that are generally selected by the swift, as the swifts go a con- 

 siderable way up under the roofs before they reach their nests : 

 those I have mentioned were, I should say, from 5 ft. to 6 ft. 

 from the entrance ; nor could there be any thing like suffi- 

 cient room for the sparrow to form their dome-h\x\[t nest, which 

 I believe they invariably form, even where there is a natural 

 covering. I hope some correspondent, who may have oppor- 

 tunities, will be induced to examine the nests of the swift, and 

 let us know how far those of the little colony resident here last 

 year agree with those of the main body. I suspect there will 

 not be found any very great difference. — J, D, Salmon. Stoke 

 Ferry, Norfolk, Dec, 28. 1833. 



Additional Particulars, communicated under Date ofThetford, 

 Norfolk, July 14. 1834. — My observations have been fully 

 verified. These birds are very numerous in this town [Thet- 

 ford, Norfolk], and they made their first appearance this 



