SWIFTS 41 



It is easily recognised by its steel-green and dark blue 

 plumage, strongly graduated tail with white spots on the 

 feathers (excepting the two centre), black belly and red bill. 



It is found from Knysna in Cape Province, eastwards 

 through Natal to Zululand, the Transvaal, Ehodesia, 

 Bechuanaland, and South- West Africa. 



It is essentially a forest-loving species ; it may be seen 

 hunting for insects in small parties of four to twelve indi- 

 viduals. Its chattering propensities are well known, and 

 the noise a party of them create as they take wing when 

 disturbed, is nothing short of deafening. 



This bird nests in holes in trees (usually " commandeered " 

 from some other bird), and lays three eggs of a beautiful 

 greenish- blue, minutely and sparsely speckled with whitish 

 pin-points. 



The Scimitar-lull (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas) is smaller 

 than the Kakclaar, glossy purple above and dull black 

 below, and has a slender, very curved black bill. 



It is only found from immediately south of the Orange 

 River, northwards. We discovered them in pairs along the 

 Modder River in the Bloemfontein District, where they may 

 be seen amongst the mimosas searching for the insects and 

 spiders which form their staple diet. Mr. Austin Roberts, 

 who took the eggs of this bird on the banks of the Vaal River, 

 near Venterskroon, informs us they were four in number 

 and of a beautiful verditer blue colour. He discovered them 

 in a hole in the trunk of a mimosa tree on November 9, 1904. 



SWIFTS 



The Swifts (Cypselidw) are all exclusive insect feeders. 



South Africa possesses five species, two of which are oversea 

 migrants, one (Cypselus apus) from Europe and the other 

 (C. affinis) from India. 



