CHAPTER IV. 

 THE SWIFT. 



WHEN Yarrell wrote his " History of British Birds," some 

 forty-seven years ago, both swifts and swallows were placed 

 in the natural order Insessores Fissirostres, and in the family 

 Hirundinides. Since then ornithologists have placed the 

 swallow, martin, and sand-martin in the order Passeres ; 

 family, Hirundinidce ; and the swifts are removed to the order 

 Picaridce i.e., with the nightjars and cuckoos ; and with a 

 family name to themselves Cypselidce. It is not necessary 

 here to enter into a lengthened detail for this separation ; 

 but the editor of the fourth edition of Yarrell says : 

 "The characters which distinguish the swifts from the 

 swallows are, even on a slight examination, so well marked 

 and decisive that it is curious their important bearing on 

 classification was not sooner recognised. Though so like 

 swallows in much of their external appearance and in 

 many of their habits, swifts have scarcely any part of their 

 structure which is not formed on a different plan." He 

 goes on to say that, " except a somewhat remote connection 

 with the Caprimulgidce (nightjars), the only true allies of 

 the Cypselidce are the humming-birds (Trochilidce)" 



These birds of the air appear never to rest, at one 

 moment winging their rapid flight close to one, at another 

 far, far away ; now rising high up in the air above, now 

 skimming the surface of the water searching for their prey, 

 and snatching the duns an'd other Ephemeridce almost out of 

 the jaws of the lusty trout or lazy chub always on the 

 wing, from " earliest dawn till latest eve." 



