234 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



tion in YarreU, vol. i., p. 402). I believe this is the first 

 known instance of the Shore-Lark having been captured 

 alive in England." — Charles Gordon, November 23, 1868 

 {Zoologist, 18G9, p. 1513). 



Writing to the Zoologist in 18^3, the late Mr. AV. 

 Oxenden Hammond says : " Having heard that a bird- 

 catcher in this district had been catching some Shore- 

 Larks in November last (1882), I went to his house to 

 see them. He had then three, taken about two daj'S 

 before my visit, and these were supplemented by four 

 more, seven in all, about a week later." Some of these 

 specimens are now in the Canterbury Museum. 



Family CYPSELID^ffi. 



Genus CYPSELUS, Iliiger. 

 8WIFT. 



Cypsehis apus (Liiin?eus). fi.N., i., p. 344 (1766). 



Swift, Boys, 1792 ; Screecher, Squeaker, and 

 Screech-Owl. 



The Swift is usuall}^ a late arrival in Kent, but after 

 the warm weather sets in at the end of May they become 

 very abundant in all the districts in which they have 

 found suitable breeding places. These breeding places 

 are, as is well known, generally in the roofs of old build- 

 ings, especially churches and lofty houses, around which 

 these birds circle and gambol in their everlasting flight. 



The following curious instances of the effects of the 

 cliiuatic changes of the atmosphere on the Swift are 

 given by Mr. F. Smith in the Zoologist, 1856 : " On 

 Tuesday, July 8, I was at Deal ; the early part of the 



