CYPSELID/E. 



^55 



i.«ai? 



THE NEEDLE-TAILED SWIFT. 



AcANTHVLLis CAUDACUTA (Latham). 



An example of this Asiatic species was shot at Great Horkesley, 

 near Colchester, on July 8th 1846, having frequented that neigh- 

 bourhood for two days, and was examined in the flesh by Doubleday 

 and Yarrell. The latter, however, did not include it in his ' British 

 Birds,' being probably under the impression — then generally preva- 

 lent — that the species was a native of Australia, to which it is now 

 known to be merely a winter-visitor. On July 26th or 27th, 1879, 

 another was obtained near Ringwood, in Hampshire, having for a 

 few days before been seen flying with a companion over the river 

 Avon by Mr. Corbin, on whose behalf the specimen was exhibited 

 by Professor Newton at a meeting of the Zoological Society. 



This fine Swilt has not yet been noticed in any other part of 

 Europe, and its western breeding-limits are probably in the moun 

 tains to the south of Krasnoiarsk in the upi)er valley of the Yenesei, 

 whence Mr. Seebohm has received specimens. During the summer 

 it inhabits South-eastern Siberia, Mongolia, Manchuria, Japan, and 



