CYPSELUS MURARIUS. (temm.) 

 Swift, Black Martin, Screech, Deviling, &c. 



Time of nidification towards the end of May, and as the 

 young do not come out till they are able to fly strongly, and 

 are slow in arriving at maturity, it is the latter part of July 

 before they make their appearance : it has, in consequence, 

 only one brood in the year. I have no hesitation in saying, 

 that the Swift makes no nest, but occupies that of the Sparrow. 

 Though very closely observed, it has never been seen carry- 

 ing any sort of material for that purpose. It usually brings 

 forth its young in holes of old ruins, towers, and steeples, some- 

 times under the tiles of churches and houses, and in lime-kilns. 

 White says — " In this village (Selborne) some pairs frequent 

 the lowest and meanest cottages ;" and farther adds, " we re- 

 member but one instance where they breed out of buildings, 

 and that is, in the sides of a deep chalk-pit." In addition to 

 this, I have seen them inhabiting cliffs by the sea side, A 

 correspondent of Loudon's Magaxine, observing a number of 

 Swifts at a distance of thirty miles from any place where it 

 was likely they should breed, upon making inquiry, discovered 

 that they were occupying for that purpose the holes in trees 

 perforated by the Woodpecker. The Swift lays three or four 

 eggs. 



