THE SWIFT. 51 



by other birds. The eggs are usually two or three in 

 number, perfectly white, and somewhat large in proportion 

 to the size of the bird; the shape of the egg is a long 

 oval. 



Swifts travel great distances in search of food, and 

 may frequently be seen many miles from their nesting- 

 places, in considerable numbers, and especially before 

 thunderstorms ; at other times they would appear to remain 

 close to their homes for several days together. 



The brood is hatched about the end of June or beginning 

 of July, and the parents are extremely attentive to the 

 wants of their progeny. As soon as the young birds are 

 able to support themselves firmly on the wing, the whole 

 family commonly leave the country at once. Swifts breed 

 but once in the year, unless the first brood is destroyed ; 

 and the male has been known to desert his mate and 

 migrate during a second incubation. They exhibit a 

 strong partiality to their old haunts, returning again and 

 again to their first habitation. In connection with this 

 interesting characteristic, Dr. Jenner relates that on one 

 occasion he captured and marked twelve Swifts at a farm- 

 house in the neighbourhood of Berkeley, Gloucestershire ; 

 and on examining their nesting-places for three following 

 years, some of the marked birds were found upon each 

 examination, which, considering the vast distances tra- 

 velled over during migration, is indeed a most wonderful 

 circumstance. 



The length of the Swift is about seven inches ; the 

 beak is black; the mandibles very short, and the gape 

 wide; the head, back, body, wings, and tail, are of an 

 uniform blackish -brown, with the exception of a small 

 patch of greyish- white under the chin. The tail is long 



