AVES— SWIFT. 571 



wings, and tail being black, glossed with purple ; and the under parts white. 

 They are much less agile than the chimney swallow, and have a placid, easy 

 motion. These birds sometimes build against the sides of cliffs that over- 

 hang the sea; but more frequently under the eaves, in the corners of win- 

 dows, or under cornices. The materials of the nest are earth, tempered and 

 mixed with straw, and lined with small straws, grasses, and feathers. The 

 little architect builds only during the morning, and allows the fabric to 

 harden during the rest of the day. The same nest is often inhabited for 

 several years. 



THE SWIFT. 1 



This is the largest of the swallow kind known in England, being often 

 eighteen inches long, though the entire weight of the bird is not more than 

 one ounce. The whole plumage is of a sooty black, except the throat, which 

 is white. The feet, which are so small that the actions of walking and 

 rising from the ground seem very difficult, are of a particular structure, all 

 the toes standing forward. For this reason, the swift never settles on the 

 ground, unless by accident. They have, however, a strong grasp with their 

 feet, which enables them to cling to walls. It spends more of its time on 

 the w x ing than any other swallow, and its flight is more rapid. In summer 

 it keeps on the wing at least sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. It 

 breeds under the eaves of houses, in steeples, and other lofty buildings ; and 

 makes its nest of grass and feathers. It has but one brood in the summer, 

 and never more than two young ones at a time. 



The voice of the swift is a harsh scream; yet there are few ears to which 

 it is not pleasing, from an agreeable association of ideas, since it is never 

 heard but in the most lovely summer weather. 



These birds visit England the latest, and retire the earliest, of all their 

 tribes ; as they withdraw from that country before the middle of August, 

 generally by the tenth, and not a single straggler is to be seen by the 

 twentieth. This early retreat is totally unaccountable, as that time is often 

 the most delightful in the year. But, what is yet more extraordinary, they 

 begin to retire still earlier in the most southerly parts of Andalusia ; where 

 they can by no means be influenced by any defect of heat, or even of food. 



1 Cypselus w uranus, Temm. The genus Cypselus has the bill very short, triangular, 

 broad at the base, inconspicuous, depressed ; gape as far as under the eyes ; upper mandi- 

 ble hooked at the tip ; nostrils cleft longitudinally, at the upper part of the bill, open, and 

 the raised margins furnished with small feathers ; legs very short, with the fore toes 

 directed forwards, and quite divided ; three toes, and claws short and thick ; wings very 

 long, tail with ten feathers. 



