jaS Campbell, Annotations. [ist^'jan. 



cubation of the third was well advanced ; the fourth contained a 

 live chick. It is interesting to note that, while ]7iany young birds 

 were fluttering about in the cave, though there were none in the 

 nests, the eggs were in successive stages of incubation. The 

 architecture of the nests, the way in which they were attached to 

 the roof, and the attitude of the birds clinging to and brooding 

 over them, resembled the picture in Richard Kerr's book — 

 ' Nature, Curious and Beautiful' — of the Swifts (Collocalia) which 

 build the edible nests, which picture reproduces an exhibit in the 

 Natural History Museum, London. True, the shape of the nests 

 does not exactly correspond, though the scoop-like general appear- 

 ance is preserved. 



" The cave, which is invisible from the sea, is only about 30 feet 

 above high water mark, and the entrance which the birds favour is, 

 strange to say, averse from the sea and much obscured by leafage. 

 Altogether the incidents connected with this experience were very 

 pleasant." 



Notes on the Migration of Apus (Micropus) 



pacificus, Lath. 



By Robert Hall, C.M.Z.S., Col. M. B.O.U. 



While in Vladivostock in May, 1903, I became aware of the 

 presence of thousands of birds, filling the stormy night air with 

 loud and terrified call notes. 



Lieut. -Colonel Lochvitsky informed me that it was the usual time 

 for the migration movement of Ducks, Swifts, waders, and other 

 birds northwards. It is said to be noticeable by all the people, 

 as if the birds were directly upon a defined migration course. The 

 Russian block calendar of 13th May (= English 26th May) makes 

 a definite statement to the effect that the Swifts arrive at 

 Vladivostock from the south, and travel northwards. The 

 Australian White-rumped Swift does actually pass at that time. 

 I found it nesting in large numbers in the perpendicular chffs of 

 the River Lena, about one hundred miles down the river from 

 Vitim, on i6th June. On 27th June, 1903, in Yakutsk, lat. 62° N., 

 I found it nesting under the verandah of the market place. The 

 birds were not seen further north, although the cliffs were good for 

 the purpose of nesting, and food seemed plentiful. My companion, 

 Mr. Trebilcock, and I travelled a further 1,200 miles down the 

 river to the delta, and saw nothing more of them. Yakutsk, in 

 1903, was the northern end of their wonderful journey, so far as 

 that tract of Siberia was concerned. I had not been able to land 

 and examine the nests in the cliffs further up the river. Now, it 

 seemed just a matter of care to take the number of eggs and young 

 from the market-place that would satisfy the Australian collector. 

 However, care was not the word to fit the occasion, for every 

 Russian has an almost religious behef in the utilitarian value of 

 the Swift and Swallow. On one occasion a burly Russian 



