430 CYPSELUS 



In general habits it differs but little from C. apus, but is as a 

 rule a resident and not a migrant; its flight is rather less 

 powerful, and its note is even shriller than that species. Like 

 it 0. affinis feeds on insects which it captures on the wing. It 

 is gregarious and breeds in companies, placing its nest, which is 

 like that of C. apus, in cliff-crannies, houses, and old buildings, 

 depositing from February to August 2 to 4 white glossless eggs 

 which in size average about 0'87 byO'57. The bird from Tunis 

 has been described by Dr. Reichenow as distinct (Micropus 

 koenigi Reichen., Orn. Monatsb., 1894 p. 192) but, it appears 

 to me, without valid reason. 



615. SIBERIAN SWIFT. 

 CYPSELUS PACIFICUS. 



Cypselus padficus (Latham), Ind. Orn. Stippl. p. Iviii. (1801); Gates B. 

 of Burma, ii. p. 1 ; Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p, 177 ; (Hartert), Cat. 



B. Br. Mus. xvi. p. 448 ; Tacz. F. O. Sib. 0. p. 168 ; Blanf. F. Brit. 

 Ind. Birds, iii. p. 167 ; C. australis, Gould, P.Z.S. 1839, p. 141 ; 

 id. B. of Austral, ii. pi. 11 ; Biggies, B. of Austral, p. 20, pi. 20; 



C. vittatus, Jard. and Selby, 111. Orn. iv. pi. 39 (1843). 



ad. (E. Siberia). Upper parts blackish brown ; across the rump a broad 

 white band, the feathers with dark brown shafts ; chin and throat whitish, 

 the feathers with dark shafts ; rest of the under parts brown, the feathers 

 with white margins and subterminal blackish bands ; bill black ; feet 

 purplish black ; iris deep brown. Wing 7'0, outer tail feathers 3'2, the 

 middle ones 1'95; tarsus 0'45 inch. Sexes alike. The young birds have 

 the feathers on the upper parts with pale margins. 



Hob. Eastern Siberia, north to Kamchatka ; Assam, Cachar, 

 and Manipur, throughout the Burmese countries; Mongolia, 

 China, Corea, Japan ; in winter, south to Australia. 



In general habits it resembles C. apus, but its note is said to 

 be softer and less loud, and it is less noisy than that species. 

 Its nest and eggs are also similar, but it appears to breed nearly 

 .always, if not always, in crannies in the rocks, usually in the 

 mountains. 



616. ALPINE SWIFT. 



CYPSELUS MELBA. 



Cypselus melba (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 345 (1766) ; Naum. vi. p. 115, Taf. 

 147, fig. 1 ; Hewitson, i. p. 269, pi. Ixv. fig. 6 ; Gould, B. of E. ii. 

 pi. 35, fig. 2 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit. ii. pi. 4 ; Newton, ii. p. 372 ; Dresser, 

 iv. p. 603, pi. 269 ; (Hartert), Cat. B. Br. Mus. xvi. p. 438 ; Blanf. 

 F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iii. p. 164 ; Saunders, p. 265 ; Lilford, ii. p. 40, 

 pi. 17 ; C. alpmus (Scopoli), Ann. i. Hist. Nat. p. 166 (1769). 



