4IO THE BLACK SWIFT. 



No. 159. 

 BLACK SWIFT. 



A. O. U. No. 422. Cjpseloides niger borealis (Kennerly). 



Synonyms. — Cloud Swift. Xuktiiekn Black Clijud Swift. 



Description. — Adults: Soot\- black; feathers of extreme chin, anterior por- 

 tion of lores, forecrown, linini;" of wings, abdomen, sides, crissum, and under tail- 

 coverts, narrowly skirted with white. ISill. feet, and eyes black. Length about 

 7.00 ( i//-^ } : wing 6.30 ( 165.1 ) : tail 2.01) ( 53 ). 



Recognition Marks. — S])arrow size but appearing larger; long wings and 

 rapid flight, cloud-haunting habits with color and size distinctive. 



Nesting. — Xrst: in crannies of cliiTs ; reported by Bendire from the breaks 

 of the Columbia in Douglas County. Ef/gs: unknown. Season: presumably 

 June. 



General Range. — \\'cstern Xorth America from the Rocky ^Mountains to 

 the Pacific, north thru British Columbia to southwestern Alaska; partially 

 nomadic, erratic, and far-ranging; winters south to Central America. 



Range in Washington. — Summer resident in the higher Cascades and (pre- 

 sumably ) the (Jl_\nipics ; apjiears sporadically at lower levels, chiefly west of 

 the Cascade Mountains. 



Migrations. — Spvimj: Seattle, May 16, IQ05. Fall: Seattle, September 

 20, 1907; Octiiber 7, 1905; Tatoosh Lsland, June 4, 1907. 



Authorities. — Cvpscloidcs burcalis. Kennerly, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. IX., 

 Nov. 1857. 202: fide Baird. Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX.. 1858. p. 143. Rh. D'. Ra. 

 B. E. 



Specimens. — Prov. C. E. 



NO other bird of equal prominence in the North American ornis has 

 so successfully eluded the in\estigation of the curious. Of equal prom- 

 inence, I sa}-. for on occasion the birds do exhibit themselves at close 

 quarters with every appearance of frankness. And it is precisely because 

 they do occasionally stoop to our le\'el, that we long to follow them as 

 they sweep the clouds or hasten back at a thought to their mountain 

 fastnesses. 



Cloud Swifts hunt in great straggling companies, and wdien one of 

 them has attracted attention by swooping near the ground, and the eyes 

 are lifted, a dozen others may be noted in the neigiiliorhood, and a hun- 

 dred more in the sk_\-, up. up to the limit of vision. Certain atmospheric 

 conditions, especially a drizzling rain, may impel the whole company to 

 seek the lower levels, and hundreds may be seen at once hawking over 

 the townsite, or, better vet, nver the surface of a lake, as W'hatcouL or 



