54 THE NIGHT-SOARING OF THE SWIFTS. 



Downland," and the boy said that he had found it out for 

 himself. And Mr. Edward Hart, of the Bird Museum at 

 Christchurch, tells me that he also found out some 14 or 15 

 years ago that the swifts ascend and spend the night in the 

 air, and that he has counted them up at sunset and counted 

 them down at sunrise. 



That is as near as I can get to proof. 



If anyone should say " They go and roost at a distance'* 

 I can only reply, " Why should they ? Why should they go 

 and roost in distant cliffs which is the only reasonable 

 suggestion that can be made when they have their own 

 snug nests at hand, in which they do rest when the night is 

 not fine enough for them to ascend ? " Many a time have 

 I watched them make a trial trip and then come down again 

 and go into their own proper nests because the weather was 

 not good enough. 



Of course it is no question of food. I believe it is sheer 

 delight in their strength of wing which sends them up. And, 

 as for keeping there, very little exertion would be required 

 for a swift to balance itself with its head to the wind during 

 a summer night. 



Roosting in the sky is quite an easy matter for the swifts. 

 The difficulty is in people believing it. 



I hope the members of this Field Club who have the 

 opportunity will investigate the matter. 



