172 COMMON SWIFT. 



and well-known bird in most parts of the British Isles. 

 It is one of the latest birds of passage to arrive, and 

 one of the earliest to leave. About the end of April 

 we expect to see it, and it leaves us again about the 

 middle or end of August. 



This bird very seldom, if ever, alights on the ground ; 

 indeed it was at one time commonly believed that if 

 by any chance it did so, the shortness of its legs and 



COMMON SWIFT. 



length of its wings prevented it from rising again ; this, 

 however, has now been disproved. If the bird is ever 

 seen at rest, it is usually when clinging to some per- 

 pendicular cliff or wall, its sharp claws enabling it to 

 hang on for a considerable time, but this is a very rare 

 circumstance. Generally speaking, the birds remain 

 on the wing the whole day, moving through the air 

 with the most perfect command over their movements, 

 and with almost incredible swiftness. From experi- 

 ments made, it has been ascertained that the Swift 

 will sometimes travel at the rate of 180 miles an hour. 



