BRITISH BIRDS. 99 



brown, with slight reflections ; bill, toes and claws black. 

 Length from base of bill to tip of tail 6*50. Young : 

 browner and with dull white of chin more extended. 



Common from beginning of May to early in August, 

 making its slight nest in holes in thatched roofs, cliffs, 

 church towers, etc., and laying two dull white eggs of an 

 elongated oval shape; size '98 by "62. Only note is a loud 

 screech, uttered as the birds sweep overhead higher 

 up than either Swallow or Martin. 



131. Cypselus melba (Linn.). ALPINE SWIFT. 



Hab. Southern Palsearctic region, eastward to India. 

 Migrates southward in winter. 



Adult : throat and belly white ; remaining plumage, 

 including a band across breast, deep brown with slight 

 reflections on wings ; lores black ; bill black ; toes pale 

 brown. Length from base of bill to tip of tail fully 7*50. 



Has occurred about twenty times in England and 

 Wales, but is not recorded from Scotland ; in Ireland 

 three examples have been taken. 



GENUS LXII. ACANTHYLLIS, Boie (1826). 



132. Aeanthyllis eaudaeuta (Lath.). NEEDLE- 

 TAILED SWIFT 



Hab. Eastern Siberia, China and the Himalayas. In 

 winter reaching Eastern Australia. 



An example was shot at Great Horkesley, near Col- 

 chester, Essex, in 1846, and another near Ringwood ; 

 Hants, in 1879. 



Family Gaprimulg*idee. 



GENUS LXIII. CAPRIMULGUS, Linnaeus (1766}. 

 Bill very short, base wide, tip compressed, tip of upper 

 mandible decurved ; gape very wide, beset above with 



H 2 



