CYPSELIDZ : 
SWIFTS. 
and southward, common. General habits and traits of a night-hawk, but the difference between 
the two is obvious when they are flying. 
Fie. 296. 
Eggs 2, heavily veined and marbled, 1.20 0.87. 
22.. Family CYPSELIDZ: Swifts. 
Northern Black Cloud Swift, nat. size. 
(E. H. Fitch.) 
Fissirostral Picarie : 
Bill very small, flattened, 
triangular when viewed 
from above, with great 
gape reaching below the 
eyes; unnotched, unbris- 
tled, the gape about six 
times as long as the eul 
meu. Nostrils exposed, 
superior, nearer culmen 
than commissure, — the 
frontal feathers tending to 
reach forward under them. 
Wings extremely lung, 
thin, and pointed (fre- 
quently as long as the 
whole bird); the prima- 
ries acute and somewhat 
faleate; the secondaries 
extremely short (nine ?). 
Tail of 10 reetrices, va- 
riable in shape, often 
mucronate. Feet small, 
weak, the envelope rather 
skinny than sealy ; tarsi 
naked or feathered ; hind 
toe frequently elevated, or 
versatile, or permanently 
turned sideways or even 
forward; lateral toes near- 
ly or quite as long as 
the middle; anterior toes 
deeply cleft, the basal 
phalanges extremely short, 
the penultimate very long, 
the number of phalanges 
frequently abnormal (2, 3, 
3, 3, instead of 2, 3, 4, 5; 
see p. 127, fig. 40); claws 
sharp, curved, never pecti- 
nate. Plumage compaet, 
usually sombre and whole- 
colored, or only relieved 
with white; sexes alike. 
Sternum deep - keeled, 
