78 Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithologij of Palestine. 



scend, and would fly lower than either of their associates, some- 

 times sweeping close to the ground — a habit which we never 

 observed in C. abyssinicus. They would dash past us with be- 

 wildering swiftness. The sharp, grating sound of the whirr of 

 their wings struck the ear for a moment; but the eye could 

 scarcely follow them. However, as their flight was always re- 

 markably straight, we were able to secure several specimens as 

 they passed us. The motion of their long sharp wings was 

 scarcely perceptible. Dr. Jerdon says that the flight of this 

 Swift, though elegant and rapid, is not nearly so powerful as 

 that of the two Spine-tailed species. If so, the speed of these 

 latter must be a considerable improvement on the "greased 

 lightning" of American imagination. Near Safed we found 

 a colony breeding in a much more accessible position, evidently 

 having young in the middle of May. We obtained several 

 specimens, but had neither time nor appliances to attempt their 

 nests. 



Once only did we find this Swift breeding near the ground 

 and in an accessible position, and then we had the vexation 

 of actually touching the eggs without being able to take them. 

 On the 2nd of May we had climbed to the summit of Jebel 

 Jilad (Mount Gilead), overlooking the deep Jordan valley from 

 the east side, one of the grandest panoramic views in Pales- 

 tine. After standing for some time on a projecting plat- 

 form of rock which forms the western brow of the mountain, 

 we descended to examine the face of the cliff", and discovered 

 three large and partly artificial caves immediately below us. 

 They were a mass of fossilized ammonites; and while hammering 

 away at these in one of the caves, out flew two Alpine Swifts, 

 whose nest we soon discovered in a crevice about six feet above 

 the floor of the cavern. The chink, which was about three inches 

 in perpendicular diameter, was contracted by a plastering of very 

 hard mud, which cost us some labour to work out. Inside, the 

 cavity enlarged as it descended; and after scooping away the 

 clay and portions of the rock with a small hammer, I was at 

 length able to touch the two eggs with the tips of my fingers. 

 Anything for a scoop ! A kingdom for a spoon ! But in vain; 

 and when we went up again to search for an available stick, we 



