BRITISH BIRDS. 75 



The diet consists entirely of Hies, gnats for the most 

 part, though it is partial to the small caterpillars that 

 dangle in thousands by an invisible thread from the leaves 

 and branches of trees, poplars especially, during the 

 summer time. The bill is very short, and of a black 

 colour, but the gape of the mouth is considerable, re- 

 sembling that of the next species in that respect. With 

 the exception of a small patch of greyish white under the 

 chin, the whole plumage is blackish brown, with a shade of 

 purple and green. The length of the bird is about 7^ or 8 

 inches ; but the wings expand to a width of a foot and a 

 half. 



The female is indistinguishable from the male, but have 

 some of their back feathers edged with white. 



Provided with food resembling that of which it partakes 

 in a state of nature, the swift can be kept alive for a long 

 time in the house ; but no bird is more unfitted for a life of 

 inactivity in a cage, and it never ought to be so kei)t. 



White specimens have been occasionally seen, and, of 

 course, shot ; but they were albinos, and by no means a 

 variety, or even very rare. 



The Alpine Swift is a much larger bird than the bird 

 under consideration, bat it is very doubtful whether it has 

 ever really occurred in Britain, an extra large specimen of 

 the ordinary species having probabl}- been mistaken for it. 



THE GOAT-SUCKERS. 



Family — CapriDiidgidie. 



Genus — Caprimulgiis. C. europ(Bus. 



This is a more extensive family than the last, for it has 



