THE SWIFT. 145 



about the beginning or middle of August: a few specimens, howevfr, 

 have been known to stay much later; one was seen in Perthshire on 

 the 8th. of November, 1834, and another in Devonshire on the 27th. 

 of November, 1835, while there are numerous records of individuals 

 having been observed in the months of September and October. 



The favourite resorts of the Swift are lofty towers and steeples, 

 fortresses, castles, and abrupt rocks; it is rarely to be seen on the 

 level ground, probably because the shortness of its legs, and the 

 length of its wings, render it unable to mount into the air without 

 great difficulty from such a position. Its curious flight is familiar to 

 all; starting from some elevation, it darts with lightning-like speed 

 into space, alternately flapping its long narrow wings, and gliding or 

 sailing with these organs expanded and apparently motionless. It exe- 

 cutes the most rapid turns with wonderful ease and grace, and continues 

 its flight for long periods without apparent fatigue. As the main 

 object of its evolutions is the capture of insects, which form its sole 

 food, it usually flies at a considerable height in fine dry weather, and 

 near the surface of the ground when the atmosphere is damp, thus 

 accommodating itself to the level at which its prey is most abundant. 

 Heavy rains, or even thunder-storms, do not prevent the Swift from 

 continuing its pursuit, and it only seems to desist during very high 

 winds and the hours of darkness, when it takes refuge in some crevice 

 of a wall, or under the eaves of a house. The number of insects it 

 consumes must be enormous; Bishop Stanley states that a whole 

 table spoonful were extracted from the mouth of one that had been 

 shot. 



Swifts may usually be seen in small parties of from six to twenty; 

 as they fly they frequently utter a harsh and shrill kind of scream, 

 which is supposed to be an expression of enjoyment, and an intima- 

 tion to their fellows of the plentiful existence of food. "Who is there," 

 says Mr. Stevenson, "with an ear for nature's sounds, that cannot 

 recall some quiet Sunday evening in the parish church, when, through 

 the open doors and windows, scarce a breath of air is felt when 

 human frailty, too much for even the best intentions, is yielding by 

 degrees to an irresistible drowsiness, and the worthy minister is soothing 

 rather than rousing those slumbering listeners? Suddenly, with a 

 screech that makes one jump again, the Swifts come dashing past 

 the upper windows, no sooner heard than gone, and circling round 

 the steeple in their evening flight, repeat with every passing swoop 

 their strange alarm." 



The literal meaning of the specific name of this bird is "the Swallow 

 without feet," but it must not be supposed that it is entirely destitute 



u 



