INSESSORES. 127 



British examples of this bird recorded, and these 

 are said to have been observed at Kingsbury Reser- 

 voir in September, 1842. The capture of these is 

 mentioned in Yarrell's ' British Birds ' (vol. ii., 

 p. 267), and from one of them the figure which 

 adorns that work is taken. The following are Mr. 

 Yarrell's words : " During the first week of Septem- 

 ber, 1842, two other examples of the same species 

 were shot by Mr. John Calvert, of Paddington, at 

 the Kingsbury Reservoir. One of these specimens 

 was lent me by F. Bond, Esq. ; it was a young bird 

 of the year, and the outside tail-feathers were not 

 fully grown up. From this bird the figure here 

 inserted was taken. Since then Mr. John Calvert 

 very kindly brought me his bird to examine, and 

 this proved to be an old male, rather larger than the 

 young bird, and of very brilliant plumage. These 

 two birds, though shot during the same week, were 

 not both killed on the same day ; two or three days 

 intervened, and the brood might, therefore, have 

 been raised in this country." Although I have no 

 doubt that Mr. Yarrell received this statement and 

 inserted it in his work in perfect good faith, on 

 making inquiries I have since received such unsatis- 

 factory information respecting these birds, that, 

 were it not for Mr. Yarrell's mention of them, I 

 should not have noticed the species in this Catalogue. 

 SWIFT, Cypselus apus. A regular summer visitant, 

 usually the last of the Hirundinidce to arrive, and 



