A VES. 83 



the local name handed down unchanged from the Hebrew, and my diffi- 

 culties at once solved. The most unobservant Arab must notice the 

 sudden return of the Swift, while its note admirably expresses the cry of 

 pain. 



The Swift is found in the whole of Africa, visits Europe in summer, 

 and in Asia e.xtends as far as Mongolia, but does not pass south of the 

 Himalayas. 



163. Cypselns mclba. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 345.) White-bellied 

 Swift. 



The Alpine or White-bellied Swift, though very abundant in places, is 

 rather a local bird in the Holy Land. It reappears in the middle of 

 February, and soon the various flocks take to their respective quarters, 

 generally some of the wildest and most inaccessible ravines in the Jordan 

 valley, in the gorges of Moab, and those near the plain of Gennesaret. 

 Their nests are in deep chinks, almost always in the most inaccessible 

 cliffs. Their swiftness is amazing, far surpassing that of the Common 

 Swift, our swiftest bird. They are known to feed often a hundred miles 

 from their nearest resort. 



This bird is a summer migrant to Central and Southern Europe, 

 inhabits all Africa, and Asia as far east as India and Ceylon. 



164. Cypselus affinis. J. E. Gray. 111. Ind. Zool. i., pi. 35, fig. 2. 

 White-rumped Swift. 



This interesting little Swift was first described from Palestine by 

 Antinori, under the name of Cypselus galilceensis, but it is proved to be 

 identical with the Indian species, and seems to have had nine different 

 names given to it by v^arious writers. In Palestine, it is, unlike the two 

 other species, a permanent resident, but strictly confined to Ghor or 

 Jordan valley, which it inhabits from Lake Huleh to the south end of the 

 Dead Sea. It flies at a great height ; has, instead of the scream of its 

 congener, a soft or melodious wail of three semitones, sharply repeated 

 when alarmed. It breeds in colonies, and has laid its eggs when C. melba 

 arrives, and hatched its young before the return of C. apiis. The nest 

 is most peculiar, attached to the roof of a cave or an overhanging ledge 

 of rock, at a height of from 30 to 400 feet above any accessible stand- 



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