18 HISTORY OF 



minck, it is found on the Alps, in Switzerland, in the Tyrol, 

 on the shores of the Mediterranean, on the rock of Gibraltar, 

 in Sardinia, Malta, and throughout the Archipelago. 



It was observed by a friend of ours,* at Kusnack, near Berne. 

 The following is an extract from his journal, which gives some 

 idea of its habits and mode of flight:*' 1 saw here a species 

 of Hirundo quite new to me ; about twenty of them were skim- 

 ming round the tower of the church, and had certainly nests 

 under the roof. They were black on the tail, but white on the 

 breast and chin. They seem to have monopolized the church, 

 only two or three common Swifts appearing at intervals. My new 

 friends were considerably larger, but did not fly so quickly, and 

 looked like little Sparrow-hawks. I think that they must be 

 allied to the great Gibraltar Swift, f mentioned by Mr. White." 



The male White-bellied Swift has the back of a light brownish 

 slate colour, gradually shaded into a lighter tint towards the 

 head, and of a darker towards the tail ; belly and lower parts, 

 white, with a broad collar ; thighs, vent, and under tail coverts, 

 of the same colour as the back; bill, black ; irides, dark brown. 

 The female differs little from the male, but the collar is in 

 general narrower, and the plumage of the back rather darker. 



A figure of this bird is given in " Edwards's Birds," and, also, 

 in " Gould's European Birds." 



* R. A. Slaney, Esq. t The same. 



