CYPSELIN^. 179 



constructed. Burgess says that he has seen their nests crowded 

 together under the roofs of old buildings, choultries and temples ; 

 one nest, from a rock, was built of mud, lined with grass, and 

 contained two white eggs. Layard states that in Ceylon they 

 breed in great numbers on rocks, also under bridges, and that the 

 nests, built in clusters, are composed of mud and grasses, with 

 a small round entrance, precisely resembling those of the Martin, 

 (H. urbica) ; the eggs, from two to four in number, pure white. 

 Adams says that the nest is of mud, mixed with wool and feathers. 

 In some of these cases the great weight and solidity of the 

 nests may have led the observer to conclude that they were made 

 with mud. The nest has generally a slight hollow in one place for 

 the reception of the eggs, which are usually two in number, 

 sometimes three, and pure white. 



Several birds, occasionally seven or eight, occupy one nest 

 for roosting. The birds are very watchful at night, on the least 

 noise, commencing their monotonous pipe. They are said by 

 some to breed repeatedly, generally, I think, twice a year. It 

 is a permanent resident in India, but does not appear to be found 

 out of our province. The flight of this Swift is fluttering and 

 irregular on first sallying from their nests in the early morning, and 

 also at sunset, just before they retire to roost: small parties at 

 these times may be seen flying close together, rather high up 

 in the air, and slowly, with much fluttering of their wings, 

 and a good deal of twittering talk, and after a short period of 

 this intercourse, all of a sudden they separate at once, and take 

 a rapid downward plunge, again to unite after a longer or 

 shorter interval. Their voice, remarks Mr. Blyth, is a sort of 

 shivering scream rather than a twitter. 



A very closely allied species exists in C. suhfurcatus, Blyth, of 

 Malayana and China ; and there is an African species which was 

 considered by the late H. E. Strickland to be absolutely identical 

 with the Indian one, the C. abyssinicus of Ehrenberg. 



101. Cypselus leuconyx, Blyth. 



J. A. S. XIV., 218— Blyth, Cat. 424— Jerdon, 2nd Suppl. 

 Cat. 255 bis. 



