THE SWIFT. 133 



Throughout this town, the common Swift was more frequently seen than the Cypselus 

 Alpinus, and at one locality only did they Loth appear — this was at Constantinople, 

 where the former species was abundant, and a few of the latter were observed. This 

 seemed rather remarkable, as in no scene did I meet with the one species, in which the 

 other would not have appeared equally at home. The only difference in their habits 

 which struck me, was, that the Alpine Swift is apparently more partial to cliffs than 

 buildings, the common Swift more partial to artificial structures than to rocks." 



The White-COLLAEED Swift {Cypselus Cayanensis), to which bird a passing reference 

 has already been made, is a native of the Brazils, and is easily to be distinguished by the 

 peculiarity of colouring from which it derives its name. The general tint of the plumage 

 is the deepest violet-blue, so deep, indeed, that except in certain lights it appears to be 

 velvet-black. Eound the neck runs a band or collar of the purest white, the two 

 contrasting tints having a remarkably fine effect. 



The nest of this species is very singular in its form, being a short truncated cone, the 

 bottom being about five inches in diameter, and the middle about three inches. The 

 material of which it is built is dogs-bane, and the young are defended from the air by a 

 quantity of the soft woolly down that grows on that plant, and it is pressed into the cavity 

 so as to form a sort of pKig. Tlie nest is usually made within houses, after the common 

 fashion of many swallows. 



Devoid of all pretensions to the brilliantly -tinted plumage which decorates so many 

 of its relations, and clad only in sober black and grey, the Swift is, nevertheless, one of 

 the most pleasing and interesting of the British birds ; resting its claims to favourable 

 notice upon its graceful form, and its unrivalled powers of wing. 



There are very few birds which are so essentially inhabitants of air as our common 

 Swift, which cuts the atmosphere with its sabre-like wings with such marvellous ease and 

 rapidity, that at times its form is hardly discernible as it shoots along, and it leaves the 

 impression of a dark black streak upon the eyes of the observer. The plumage of this 

 bird is constructed especially with a view to securing great speed, as may be seen by an 

 inspection of the closely set and firmly webbed feathers with which the entire body and 

 limbs are clad. The muscles wliich move the wings are enormously developed, and 

 in consequence the breast-bone is furnished with a remarkably strong and deep " keel." 



The flight of the Swift is quite peculiar to the bird, and cannot be mistaken even for 

 that of the swallow by any one who has a practical acquaintance with the habits of the 

 two species. The Swift does not flap its wings so often as the swallow, and has a curious 

 mode of shooting through the air as if hurled from some invisible bow, and guiding 

 itself in its headlong course by means of its wings and tail. While flying, the Swift 

 makes very great use of its tail, a habit which has been admirably described by 

 Mr. Thompson : 



" It was highly interesting to watch their motions as they flew noiselessly a few yards 

 above my head. The tail would at one moment be drawn to a point, the root appear 

 square at the end ; would then present a ' tender fork,' and the root its full formation ; 

 again, it would be expanded to the uttermost, with the feathers simply touching at their 

 margins, and the whole tail appearing so membraneous, that the light shone through it ; 

 lastly, it would be tlu^own into the form of an arch, which had a singular effect, and 

 generally when thus exhibited, the whole body was lilce a well-strung bow, an appearance 

 which was several times observed with very high interest. Within a few seconds of time 

 all these appearances were assumed by the same bird." 



After making some further remarks on the subject, the same writer proceeds to observe 

 that a similar habit is also found in the common swallow, as seen by himself when looking 

 down upon the birds from the summit of Mount Pagus. " The swallows, as they gently 

 floated on the bosom of the air a few yards beneath, exhibited the tail expanded to such a 

 degree, that the beautiful white portion towards its base was quite conspicuous ; presenting 

 in this respect so great a difference from its ordinary appearance, that 1 did not feel certain 

 at the moment of their being our own common bird." 



There are few hours of the day when this ever active bird may not be seen on the 



