CYPSELUS MURINUS. 123 



birds, all of the blackest hue. Every nest contained two eggs, 

 except one, which held three. 



General colour blackish brown, except small whitish chin-patch ; four 

 toes all directed forwards. Length 7^ inches. 



150. Cypselus murinus, A. and E. Brehm. Mouse-coloured 

 Swift. 



" This Swift is found near Tangier on passage, crossing to 

 Europe in April and May. Some remain to breed ; but it is the 

 least common of the family, being seen alone or in pairs in 

 company with C. apus. I found a pair in July 1861, nesting in 

 company with some House-Martins (Chelidon urbica} ; the nest 

 was simply an old nest of that Martin, which the Swifts had 

 appropriated, and contained two eggs of the usual Cypselus 

 shape." Favier. 



They are abundant at Gibraltar, and are said to arrive at 

 Tangier somewhat earlier than the Common Swift, though there 

 appears to be no difference in the time of their arrival. Easily 

 noticed on the wing by their light colour, they mix both with the 

 Common and White-bellied Swifts. 



In May 1874, when near Vejer with two ornithologizing 

 friends, we found this species to be more abundant than C. apus, 

 while, curiously enough, at Algeciraz (where, as mentioned, there 

 are countless swarms of Common Swifts) we never could detect 

 one single C. murinus. They are common around Malaga ; and 

 Mena, in 1882, noticed their first arrival on the 14th of March. 

 He also told me that this Swift does not, like C. apus, enter the 

 nest direct, but settles or hangs outside before entering. 



Verner writes : " In spite of this Swift having been considered 

 only to be a subspecies, I am convinced that in many cases the 

 Mouse-coloured Swifts nest in separate colonies apart from the 

 common species, and, as far as my experience goes, they differ 

 considerably in their nidification. 



" A small colony used to breed in the weep-holes in the sea- 



