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SWIFT: 
COMMON SWIFT. SWIFT SWALLOW. BLACK MARTIN. 
SCREECH. SCREECH MARTIN. SCREAMER. CRAN. SQUEALER. 
MARTIN DU, OF THE ANCIENT BRITISH. 
Hirundo apus, LINN2ZUS. PENNANT, Montacu. 
Cypselus murarius, SELBY. GOULD. 
“ apus, JENYNS, 
Micropus murarius, , MEYER, 
Hirundo—A Swallow. Apus. Apous—Without a foot. 
THe Swallows seem always considered as visitants to us, 
and are so spoken of accordingly: it seems to me, however, 
that this is an erroneous designation; for, although absent 
from us the greater part of the year, it is with us that they 
build and inhabit their dwellings; and here they rear their 
young: it is to other countries that they are visitants; our is 
‘their own—their native land:’ elsewhere they are but sojourners 
—unsettled excursionists—destitute of a ‘local habitation.’ No 
one who knows the meaning of the word ‘home,’ can doubt 
for a moment here. 
The Swift is a native of the greater part, if not the whole, 
of the continent of Africa, as also of that of Europe. It 
visits Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Lapland, and Italy, and is 
known also in Asia Minor and Madeira; Montagu and Meyer 
say in America also; but I believe this is not the case. 
It is met with in all parts of the United Kingdom; but 
it seems to be generally thought, and with some reason, that 
it is less frequent than it used to be. Why it is so, is 
entirely unknown. In Ireland it is decidedly local. In the 
