224 Tasmanian Notes. [isfA^r'i 



but making steady progress to windward. On 25th the wind 

 was fairly strong and cool from S.W., and numbers of Swifts were 

 about Mersey Bluff all the morning, sweeping almost to the 

 ground, then rising to a fair height, taking insect food. Next 

 morning, between 7 and 8 o'clock, the wind was cold and from 

 the S.W. ; the sky was covered with fine interlacing cirrus, and 

 numbers of the birds were circling very high from E. and S.E. 

 towards the N.W. Later in the day, the breeze moderating and 

 the sun becoming warm, the Swifts were all the afternoon between 

 Don Road and Mersey Bluff, passing backwards and forwards, 

 feeding, at a low altitude. After sunset the wind was again cold 

 and from the S.W. ; the birds, singly and in pairs, passed con- 

 tinuously towards the N.W., often tacking backwards and 

 forwards while doing so. They were at varying heights, from 

 50 to perhaps 400 feet, but mostly high. They were still going 

 over, sparsely, one in three or four minutes, at a height of 50 or 

 60 feet, as long as I could see, and there may have been numbers 

 passing at a greater altitude. The following day, between 

 noon and i o'clock, numbers were flying backwards and forwards 

 at a great height, looking no larger than flies. The wind was 

 N.E. and light, thundery clouds were passing over from the west. 

 Their next appearance was recorded on 6th March, when from 

 half an hour before sunset until after sunset there was a great 

 company overhead. A large number, fully 300 feet up, were 

 circling and wheeling, apparently for pleasure ; others, much 

 lower, were flying backwards and forwards capturing insects, for 

 great numbers of beetles and ants were in the air. Some flew 

 just over my cottage, " swishing " very distinctly with their long 

 wings — sometimes gliding, sometimes fluttering the wings, 

 turning on one side, then reversing, like a swimmer " changing 

 arm " in side-stroke. There had been a thunderstorm in the 

 morning, followed by a close, muggy atmosphere, which is very 

 favourable for bringing flying ants, beetles, and other insects into 

 the air. The birds were about until nearly dark ; the wind was 

 light and variable. The 14th March was very squally from the 

 N.W., with heavy showers, and so on through the night. Next 

 morning, at 8 a.m., large numbers of the birds passed over at a 

 height of about 300 feet towards the N.W., not circling or feeding ; 

 the air had then changed to light southerly, with overcast sky. 

 There was a cold change, with snow on the Tiers, on the night of 

 the 2ist. On the afternoon of the 22nd Swifts appeared at 

 varying heights up to 150 feet, apparently taking food ; the wind 

 was squally, strong from S.W., heavy cumulo-stratus clouds 

 spread over the sky. On 23rd and 25th Swifts again appeared ; 

 on 26th they were very high, gliding towards the west, the wind 

 being S.E., and the birds just discernible against heavy cumulus 

 clouds. There had been heavy showers at mid-day and early in 

 the afternoon. Later in the afternoon the birds were seen near 

 the beach, flying low and feeding. These appearances were noted 

 every day or two until 17th April, when a few birds were seen 



