THE COMMON SWIFT. 417 



pying the space immediately beneath them : the Cypselus and 

 Hirundo each occasionally broke through the other's ranks. The 

 month of August was much colder than usual that year, a cir- 

 cumstance, however, which could hardly have influenced the swift 

 in remaining beyond the ordinary period. The first assemblage 

 of swallows and martins, constituting a vast multitude, was congre- 

 gated for migration at the same time and place ; on the same day 

 they and the swifts departed. In 1848, swifts became gradually 

 scarcer, from the end of August until the 1st of Sept., on which 

 day, two appeared at Belfast. On the 4th of September, 1835, 

 some were observed by a scientific friend about Dunluce Castle ; 

 on the 11th of that month in the following year, three of these 

 birds were seen by myself at Hillsborough (county Down), and 

 many more of the Hirundinidce, which appeared at some distance, 

 were believed to be of this species.* About the same place, many of 

 the Hir. rustica were congregated preparatory to their departure. 

 I have never witnessed any unusual assembling together of swifts, 

 towards the time of their migration, like that of the swallow and 

 martin. During the period of their stay, they are, in favourite 

 localities, generally numerous and fly in company. 



In the course of a tour which I made to the south and south- 

 east of Europe, &c, in 1841, the swift was met with at Malta on 

 the 17th of April, when many appeared in company with the 

 three common species of Hirundo, — H. rustica, H urbica, and H. 

 riparia. None were seen during the passage of H.M.S. Beacon 

 from Malta to the Morea, though numbers of H. rustica and H. 

 urbica alighted on the vessel. On the 6th and 7th of May, 

 swifts were next observed about the mountain-tops in the island 

 of Syra, the weather being very fine and warm. Towards the end 

 of the month they appeared at Smyrna, and were abundant at 

 Constantinople. Early in June they were numerous about a rocky 

 islet north-east of Port Nausa, in the island of Paros, and were 

 breeding in the fissures of low marine cliffs. At the end of this 



* Mr. Poole, writing from the county of Wexford, notes the earliest appearance of 

 the swift during four years to be on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of May ; the latest Sept., 

 11th and 20th. 



VOL. I. 2 E 



