Breeding of the White-riimped Sivift. 587 



however, breeeding opei'ations had been frustrated by a 

 devastating- army of hungry rats. Nevertheless, it was a 

 considerable surprise to find a small colony of Micropus 

 pacificus established on an unpretentious rock of the most 

 modest dimensions, both in length and height. This 

 particular rock, much broken up, some 50 yards long, and 

 at its highest point 39 feet high, is situated 1400 yards 

 from the mainland, and 4C0 yards from a respectably sized 

 island, which latter is untenanted by Swifts of any de- 

 scription. Of limestone foundation, the rock is seamed with 

 deep fissures and long narrow crannies, and it is in these 

 recesses that the White-rumped Swift was found breeding 

 in such elevated situations that sea and spray, in their most 

 angry moments, are ineffective to disturb the tranquility of 

 the site chosen. On landing upon the rock and commencing 

 to climb over it, not a sign of any bird life was visible, with 

 the single exception of a solitary shag (Phalacrocorax pela- 

 g'lcus) which flew ofli" hurriedly from the far side of the rock 

 near the water^s edge, where it had been dreaming away the 

 hot summer afternoon. Altogether seven Swift's nests were 

 found ; of these two were in vertical crannies, the remainder 

 in horizontal fissures, and all a full arm's length in. Only 

 two nests contained eggs (June 6th), and only three Swifts 

 were seen on the rock. The first nest found contained two 

 eggs. The female bird was on the nest, and the male bird 

 underneath the nest, clinging to it with both feet. So 

 narrow was the cleft, that the birds were constrained to remain 

 in one position, turning round being out of the question. 

 The nest itself, wedged between the rock faces, was a small, 

 perfectly round plate of straw, three and a half inches in 

 extreme diameter, thickest at the rim and very slightly 

 dished in the centre. A few feathers had been worked into 

 the outer part of it, which was hardened with glutinous 

 matter produced by the bird. The two birds at the first 

 nest made no attempt to fly, and allowed themselves to be 

 drawn out, a somewhat difficult operation. They clung 

 very tenaciously to the fingers with exceedingly sharp 

 claws, but w^hen thrown into the air, immediatelv flew off 



