ALPINE SWIFT. 59 



genus just named. Where it does occur and it is generally 

 diffused it is often seen in very large numbers. A Ballast Pit at 

 Eingringhoe, in Essex, is occupied by the most numerous colony 

 I am acquainted with; and a site afforded by the surface beds of 

 sand and soil above a steep scarp of rock on Tweed-bank, nearly 

 opposite Norham Castle, used to accommodate another colony. 

 Some of the holes are bored to a very great depth. I have enlarged 

 the orifice of many till it would admit my whole shoulder, and have 

 then been unable to reach the termination of the gallery. Others 

 are much shorter, and admitting of more easy access to the nest. 

 The female will, notwithstanding the noise and violence attending 

 the enlargement of the aperture of her nest-hole, sit resolutely 

 on, and allow herself to be taken in the hand with scarcely a 

 struggle or sign of resistance even of life, sometimes. One I 

 took thus a year or two since lay in my open hand for a minute or 

 more, and then at last flew only leisurely away. A little loose, 

 soft straw, with some feathers, serves to receive the eggs, which 

 are four to six in number, often much elongated in shape, of the 

 most delicate white, and beautifully pink from the thinness of the 

 shell before they are blown. 



142. PURPLE MARTIN (Hirundo purpure*}. 

 American Purple Martin. Only a very casual visitor. 



143. SWIET (Cypselus apus). 



Deviling, Black Martin, Screech, Screech Martin, Shriek Owl, 

 Screamer, Squeaker, Skeer or Skir-devil, Cran. I should think no 

 one who has once seen this bird on the wing, and noticed its rapid, 

 peculiar, powerful, long-winged, whirling flight, or heard its remark- 

 able scream, would ever be likely to mistake when he saw it again. It 

 is most frequently seen at no great distance from some old tower 

 of castle or church, or such like building, although at times it 

 seems to range far in search of food. It makes its nest of pieces 

 of soft straw, bents or grass or hay and feathers, and usually in 

 holes in the buildings aforesaid, or between the tiles and under- 

 roof of houses ; and the nest once made is supposed to be used 

 for many years in succession by the same pair of birds. It some- 

 times seems as if it had been cemented together in some way. 

 The Swift often lays only two eggs, but has been known to pro- 

 duce three, and even four. They are quite white, and rather arge 

 for the size of the bird. 



144. ALPINE SWIET (Cypselus Alpinus). 

 White-bellied Swift. A bird which is known to have visited us 

 en some half dozen occasions or so. 



