THE SWIFT. 

 (Cypselus dpus.) 



THE Swift comes to Hungary early in May and leaves 

 again the first days of August. In England it comes 

 and leaves about the end of these months, that is as soon 

 as the young are ready to fly. The materials for the 

 nest are obtained on the wing, therefore often with 

 difficulty, as the wind brings it. These are glued 

 together by the viscous secretions of the bird. Some- 

 times, however, it robs Martins, House-Sparrows and 

 Starlings of their homes. The wild note of see-see has 

 gained for the Swifts the name of " Screechers," and 

 "Devilings" in Great Britain. They always hunt in 

 companies and one might say that they compass the 

 wide world in their rapid and powerful flight. The feet 

 which are so helpless on the ground are well adapted to 

 clinging on to the rocks and heights where they breed. 

 The work Swifts do in clearing the air of insects must 

 be enormous, these forming all their food. 



This is one of the most interesting of our British 

 birds, and one that is still an unknown quantity, in some 

 respects, to the most learned of our ornithologists. " It 

 soars on higher wing " even than the Skylark. A larger 

 bird, it rises until it is lost to the keenest sight, remain- 

 ing in the air longer, also, than perhaps any other bird. 

 Whether it is capable of rising from the ground, when 

 once there, is, curiously enough, still a matter of dispute 

 among certain naturalists. " Can Swifts take wing from 

 the ground? " was a question raised not long ago in 

 "Nature Notes," the organ of the Selborne Society. 



