CTPSELID.T5. 435 



toes reduced to three in the Cypselime, normal in the Chceturince 

 and Macro];)terygince. Palate segithognathous ; basipterygoid pro- 

 cesses absent ; ca3ca absent ; semitendinosus muscle absent. Hind 

 toe directed more or less forward {Cypselince) or backward {Qhcetu- 

 rnue and Macropterijgince). The mouth is split to beneath the eyes : 

 the bill short, curved, broad at base, the gape very wide, llictal 

 bristles absent, {Of. Nitzsch, Pterylographie, p. 122 ; Shufeldt, 

 Journ. Linn. See, Zool. xx. p. 299 ; Stejneger, Stand. Nat. Hist, 

 p. 436 ; Sharpe, Rev. Class. B. p. 81.) 



They moult only once in the year; at least I am unable to find 

 any proof of the truth of a statement recently made to the contrary. 



In their habits the Swifts are aerial ; their food consists entirely 

 of insects, which they catch on the wing. They cannot therefore 

 live in very cold climates, and northern species wander to the south 

 early in the year. Their power of flight is enormous, and they often 

 travel extremely long distances. 



The nidification varies from the concealed nests in holes and caves 

 oi Micropiis to the enormous pendent tube of Pcm^^y<<7rt, the cup- 

 shaped edible nest of CoUocaUa, and the small exposed nest of 

 Marropteryij. Eggs invariably pure white, without gloss. Young, 

 when hatched, naked {Macropteryx ?). 



lianye. The whole world, except the extreme Northern and 

 Southern regions. 



The Oypselidce have been placed, along with the Troclulidce and 

 Caprimulyidce, in the order " Macrochires " or " Strisores." This 

 arrangement is based on good grounds, and has much to commend it. 

 Some recent anatomists denj- the near relationship of these families. 

 If raised to the rank of orders, Cypseli, Trochili, and Caprimidyi 

 should be placed near together. I may mention the striking affinity 

 of the nidification of Macropteryx and BatracJiostornus, the latter 

 belonging to the Podargida', a family which, in my opinion, must be 

 placed close to the Caprimulgklce. Also, from an oological point 

 of view, the order Macrochires seems to be very well founded. The 

 structure of the egg-shell in the above-mentioned families is very 

 similar, and the various colours of the eggs of the Goatsuckers are 

 merely pi'otective. 



I do not think it necessary to reject the oldest name of the family, 

 which undoubtedly is Cypselidce, and to alter it to Micropodidce. If 

 the law of priority is carried out in the nomenclature of the genera 

 and species, why not follow it also in that of the higher groups, if 

 their limits remain unchanged ? 



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