84 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



point. The nests are clustered side by side, or one under another, 

 formed not hke those of any other Swift, but of straw and quill-feathers, 

 strongly agglutinated with the bird's saliva, and without any lining. 

 Sometimes it appropriates the mud-nest of the different Swallows, 

 especially the bottle-shaped structure of Hiriindo rufida, to its own use, 

 simply adding an agglutinated straw and feather entrance to the original 

 edifice of clay. See Ibis, 1S65, pp. 76-79. 



The White-rumped Swift has a wide geographical range, though more 

 circumscribed than that of the other species, but within that range Is con- 

 fined to comparatively few localities. It Is found in tropical West Africa, 

 and nearly to Cape Colony ; and in North-east Africa, Arabia, Syria, 

 Persia, India, Ceylon, China, Formosa, and Hainan. But In all these 

 countries vast tracts may be traversed without one being seen. It is 

 remarkable that the single sedentary member of the family should be the 

 one which has the most limited range. In many genera of birds it may 

 be observed that those species which have the most extended northerly 

 have also the most extended southerly range, and that those which resort 

 to the highest latitudes for nidification also pass further to the southward 

 in winter than do the others. Thus the migrating Fieldfare and Redwing, 

 visiting regions north of the Thrush and the Blackbird, on their southward 

 migration leave their more sedentary relatives behind. The Brambling, 

 which passes the Chaffinch in Norway, leaves it also in Europe, and 

 crosses the Mediterranean every winter to the Barbary States. The 

 Egyptian and Collared Turtle Doves remain throughout the year in 

 North Africa and Syria ; but the Common Turtle {T. auritiis), so 

 abundant in these countries in summer, never leaves a straggler behind In 

 November, and yet in spring advances 1,000 miles nearer to the Pole 

 than they do. 



FAMILY, CAPRIMULGID.-E. 

 165. Caprumilgus europceus. Linn. Syst. Nat. I., p. 346. Night-jar. 



Visits Palestine in spring and summer. Not noticed In winter. 



The Nightjar inhabits Europe and North-western Asia in summer, 

 retiring into Northern and Central Africa In winter. Eastward It has 

 been found in Persia and Turkestan. 



