22 STORIES OF BIRD LIFE 



protection of coloring matter as do those which are laid in 

 open nests and are thus exposed to the eyes of many ene- 

 mies. 



In China and some of the neighboring countries there 

 are swifts which build very peculiar nests. No sticks or 

 twigs are employed in their construction, the gummy 

 saliva from the bird 's mouth being the only material used. 

 These nests are much sought by the people of those coun- 

 tries as an article of food. They are built on the faces of 

 cliffs, or j;he walls of caves. In large numbers they are 

 gathered and sold in the markets as ^edible bird's nests'. 

 To prepare them for the table they are cooked in the form 

 of soup. 



Our swift is a representative of a large and widely known 

 family. There are about eighty species found throughout 

 the world. About thirty occur in America, but only four 

 in North America, and the chimney swift alone represents 

 the family in the eastern part of the United States. 



THOUGHT QUESTIONS 



When do the swifts first come in the spring? When do they leave? 

 Can you tell a swift from a swallow? How is a swift different from a 

 bat? Bid you ever know two pairs of swifts to build their nests in one 

 chimney the same year? Did you ever know young swifts to fall down a 

 chimney into the grate or fireplace? If left alone did they at length get 

 back up the chimney? Do you think swifts ever eat fruit? How do 

 swallows and swifts get water to drink? 



