SWIFT 235 



day was warm, but a continuous drizzling rain fell ; this, 

 however, did not prevent Swallows and Swifts from 

 hunting after their prey much as usual. Towards even- 

 ing a sudden atmospheric change took place ; the ther- 

 mometer fell rapidly ; it became so cold that an overcoat 

 was not uncomfortable. Sitting at the window, and 

 amusing myself by watching the Swifts, which were very 

 numerous, I was struck by observing that their flight 

 was unsteady ; they fluttered up against the walls of the 

 houses, and I saw several even fly into open windows. 

 Whilst observing these occurrences a girl came to the 

 door to ask me if I wanted to buy a bat. She had heard, 

 she told me, that I bought all kinds of bugs, and her 

 mother thought I might want a bat. On her producing 

 it, I was astonished to find it was a poor benumbed Swift. 

 The girl told me they were dropping down in the streets, 

 and the boys were killing all the bats; the church, she 

 said, was covered with them. Off I started to witness 

 this strange sight and slaughter. True enough, the 

 children were charging them everywhere, and on arriving 

 at the church in Lower Street, I was astonished to see 

 the poor birds hanging in clusters from the eaves and 

 cornices; some clusters were at least 2 feet in length, 

 and at intervals benumbed individuals dropped from the 

 outside of the clusters. Many hundreds of the poor birds 

 fell victims to the ruthless ignorance of the children." 

 On September 1, 1876, Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., wrote : 

 " The boisterous weather of yesterday, accompanied by 

 much cold and rain, appears to have had an effect on the 

 Swifts at Dover. Many have flown into houses and been 

 captured by hand this day (September 1), as I am 

 informed by Mr. Gray, the taxidermist, to whom some 

 were brought, and at whose house I saw two. I do not 



