408 ALPINE SWIFT. 



mass by simultaneous impulse, and utter their 

 cry in the same united manner, and they form, 

 as it were, an accompaniment associated with 

 old or ecclesiastical buildings, which is almost 

 inseparable from them. 



The range of the Swift in Britain is general, 

 at the same time local, and on the Continent it is 

 we believe similar In Britain, it is one of 

 our latest visiters, and one of our earliest to 

 depart. Their whole time is occupied in the 

 duties of incubation, and so soon as these are 

 completed, and the young able to travel, their 

 departure is commenced. Of its range out of 

 Europe we are uncertain. Temminck says they 

 do not migrate beyond the tropics. We possess 

 specimens from Madeira. 



The length of the common Swift to the extre- 

 mity of the bill, is only about seven inches and 

 a quarter ; that of the wing about six inches and 

 three quarters ; the plumage is of a uniform 

 shining brownish black, glossed with green ; the 

 chin and throat in the male nearly white, in the 

 female smoke gray. In our specimen from 

 Madeira, the plumage is of a much paler tint, 

 the throat and chin pure white. 



THE ALPINE SWIFT, CYPSELUS ALPINUS, 

 Temm. C. melba, Gmel. Alpine or White- 

 bellied Swift of British authors. This species, 

 according to Temminck, inhabits the Alps in 

 Switzerland and the Tyrol, and the coasts and 



