408 hirundinidjE. 



THE COMMON SWIFT. 



Cypselns opus, Linn, (sp.) 

 Hirundo „ 



Is a regular summer visitant. 



Although this bird is common in favourite localities, the species 

 must be noticed with reference to Ireland generally, as but par- 

 tially distributed. Along much of the wild western range of the 

 island it is rather scarce, and in some extensive districts is never 

 to be met with. It is stated by Mr. J. V. Stewart to be rare in 

 Donegal. During a week of the fine summer weather spent in 

 the north-west of that county in June, 1832, not a bird of this 

 species came under my notice. The swift, unknown in Connemara 

 (M'Calla) ; is very rare about Tralee, where it never breeds 

 (Neligan) ; and in the county of Kerry one pair only was ever 

 seen by Mr. R. Chute. They remained but for a few days fre- 

 quenting an old windmill in the village of Blennerville. 



The swift is more regular as to the time of its appearance 

 around Belfast than any species of the allied genus Hirundo, or, 

 indeed, than any migratory bird. It may generally be seen during 

 the first week of May, and frequently on the second day of that 

 month: — even in 1842, when the arrival of birds generally was 

 remarkably late, it was noticed on the 10th of May. Mr. Selby, 

 in his Illustrations of British Ornithology, observes : " It has been 

 remarked that these birds delight in sultry weather, with ap- 

 proaching thunder-storms, at such times flying in small parties 

 with peculiar violence : and as they pass near steeples, towers, or 

 corners of buildings, uttering loud screams, which White, in his 

 Natural History of Selborne, supposes to be a sort of serenade to 

 their respective families. This is fanciful and pretty; but I 

 should rather be inclined to reason the opposite way, and to con- 

 sider this action and cry as the consequence of irritability, excited 

 by the highly electrical state of the atmosphere at such times." 

 I agree with Mr. Selby in considering the remark of White 

 respecting the scream of the swift to be merely " fanciful and 

 pretty," as I have heard these birds scream in the manner 



