THE ALPINE SWIFT. 419 



species have been met with in England, as particularly noticed in 

 the works of Yarrell and Macgillivray. 



The first place I met with the alpine swift, was about ten miles 

 to the north of Naples, on the 12th of August, 1826, when a 

 great number were observed associated together in .flight, at a high 

 elevation. Their evolutions in the air were similar to those of the 

 common swift. Independently of their superior size, which at 

 once distinguishes them from that bird, the white colour of a 

 portion of the under plumage, from which they have received the 

 name of "white-bellied swift," is conspicuous, even when the bird 

 is at a considerable altitude. 



When on the continent, in 1841, (with my friend Professor 

 E. Eorbes,) tins species was first seen by us on the 9th of April, 

 as we descended the Rhone, from Lyons to Avignon. About 

 half-way between these cities, several appeared flying over the 

 river, and a few at all suitable places thence to Avignon. On 

 the morning of the 28th of April, as we entered the splendid bay 

 of Navarino, great numbers appeared careering high overhead. 

 When walking through the petty town of the same name later in 

 the day, alpine swifts were observed flying very low over the streets 

 and houses, although the weather was delightfully warm and fine. 

 On my visiting the island of Sphacteria, the western boundary of 

 the bay, on the 29th, these birds were very abundant. The 

 attraction here was a range of noble precipitous cliffs rising 

 directly above the sea, at the western side of the island. These 

 swifts inhabited the cliffs, which are similar to those tenanted 

 by the common species in the north of Ireland. Although 

 the day was as fine and warm as our northern summers ever are, 

 these birds, as I walked along the top of the cliffs, swept about 

 low and in numbers, occasionally within a few yards of my head : 

 — this remark is made from the circumstance of the common swift 

 being generally high in the air in fine weather ; we do, however, 

 occasionally observe it sweeping near the earth at such times. 

 Though larger, they in general appearance and flight strongly re- 

 semble the common swift : they are very noisy, almost constantly 

 uttering a loud twitter ; besides which, they occasionally give a brief 



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