Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 77 



which I saw, and three of which are now before me, not one 

 had any mud in its composition ; and in the case to which I have 

 referred, the Swifts had added a nest, not of mud, but of agglu- 

 tinated straw and feathers, to the original structure of the Swal- 

 lows. All our Swifts' nests were remarkably light, though 

 those built outside caves were stronger and stouter than those 

 within. May not the Indian bird very commonly adapt the 

 labours of other species to its own purposes, and have thus caused 

 Adams and Layard to speak of its nest as of mud and solid ? 

 Theobald's description exactly corresponds with our own expe- 

 rience of the constructions of the Palestine bird. 



Cypselus melba, though very abundant in localities, is rather a 

 local bird in the Holy Land. Unlike its little congener, it is 

 only a summer migrant, but returns earlier than the common 

 Swift, C apus. The first time we noticed it was at daybreak 

 on February 12th, when, camped outside the walls of Jerusalem, 

 we saw large flocks passing with amazing rapidity, at a great 

 height, towards the north. A few days afterwards we noticed 

 several of these birds among the hills of Benjamin, disporting 

 themselves and often descending near the ground. They were 

 probably preparing to breed in some of the deep ravines which 

 run down towards the Jordan. From that time, throughout 

 the summer, we rarely lost sight for many days together of this 

 noble bird. The Wady Hamam, opening into the plain of 

 Gennesaret, was a favourite resort of large flocks, which bred in 

 fissures of the stupendous cliff's, hopelessly beyond the reach of 

 the most ardent rock-climber and nester. From their habit of 

 selecting chinks under the overhanging ledges, it was impossible, 

 even by the aid of ropes, to reach their holes ; and could they 

 have been attained, the pick and chisel must have been applied 

 indefatigably to reach many of the nests. About daybreak they 

 might be seen dashing in long lines with lightning speed down 

 the ravine, and exercising themselves over the plain. At this 

 time in the morning we were able occasionally to secure a spe- 

 cimen ; but very soon they began to rise higher and higher, 

 mingled with numbers of the two other species, till in the depth 

 of that dark, blue cloudless sky they were at last lost even to 

 the keenest sight. Towards evening they began again to de- 



