SWIFT. 263 



parties of from five to twenty, but during " rushes," such as 

 that of 9th July 1899, 6th July 1901, 6th July 1902, and 30th 

 June 1904, flocks of from twenty to two hundred were noted 

 passing continually from early morn to dark. Occasionally 

 there is an arrival of Swifts from the south-east at the same 

 time that the southward passage is in progress, two distinct 

 migrations being observable at one time. The late J. 

 Cordeaux referred to this migratory movement in his " Birds 

 of the Humber District," 1899, p. 14. In the year 1879 an 

 enormous concourse of Swifts was observable on the north- 

 east coast ; at Redcar on the 20th August there were many 

 thousands between the Teesmouth and Saltburn, flying at 

 various altitudes from 3 to 300 feet. At night numbers roosted 

 on the window-sills of the houses on the sea front, and some 

 entered in at bedroom windows which had been left open ; 

 next day all but two or three had departed ; they then 

 increased again until the 27th, when they were more numerous 

 than ever, swarming like gnats in the air, and exciting con- 

 siderable interest in the town as they flew along the Esplanade 

 and in the streets, where boys struck them down with whips 

 and sticks. By the end of the month they had all disappeared 

 excepting four individuals which remained two or three days 

 after the bulk had left {Zool. 1879, p. 423 ; Field, 6th and 13th 

 September 1879). 



In the upper portions of some of the dales of the West 

 and North Ridings the Swift breeds at a considerable elevation ; 

 at Malham Cove a colony have nesting holes in the higher 

 parts of the cliff, as also at Kilnsey Crag in Wharfedale, 

 and at Kettlewell, while eggs have been taken from a nest 

 in an old shed on one of the high fells of the north-west. 

 In some places the Swifts often have fierce battles with 

 Starlings, ousting the latter birds from their breeding quarters. 

 Several small colonies are foimd in the high sea-cliffs extending 

 from Cleveland to Flamborough Head. In June 1883, I dis- 

 covered nests under the tiles in quite low outbuildings at 

 Easterside in Ryedale. After the breeding season both old 

 and young are frequently met with on the fell tops, and have 

 been observed as high as Crossfell in Cumberland. 



