156 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



number of small holes in these banks to a depth of 

 two to three feet, slanting upwards, with just 

 sufficient aperture to admit of ingress and egress. 

 It is a marvel to most people how they manage to 

 bore inwards to the extent they do. Mr. W. H. 

 Hudson says : " They do not work by digging into 

 the earth with their bills as a man digs with a knife 

 or other implement ; they perch against the surface 

 and pick out small particles, and by means of this 

 slow laborious process accomplish their great work." 



The nest, of dry grass, and lined with feathers, is 

 placed at the end of the tunnel in a somewhat wider 

 space. Eggs — -four to six in number ; colour, white. 

 Two broods are generally reared. This member of 

 the Swallow family being the earliest to arrive is 

 also the first to depart ; this it does about the 

 beginning of September. 



It has a very wide range abroad, which may be 

 almost said to embrace the best part of the world. 



One of the specimens in the case was shot, I 

 think, in Surrey, the other in Radnorshire. 



The Swift. 

 Order, PicaricE. Family, CypselidcB. 



The Swift arrives on our south coast towards the 

 latter end of April, i.e., much about the same time as 

 the House- Martin. It is fairly well distributed 

 throughout England, Wales, Ireland, and the southern 

 part of Scotland, but further north it is very irregular, 

 and in the Hebrides decidedly rare. It is not a 



