30 Nevin H. Foster on 



1907. Perhaps the cause of this disappearance from about 1893 till 1903 

 was the destruction of their nests by citizens, who objected to having 

 their walls disfigured. That such a practice did not olitain of old is 

 recorded by Thompson, who says* he observed that in Hillsborough, as in 

 Antrim, the inhabitants were unwilling to disturb their friends, and for 

 the sake of uniformity whitewashed tlie Martins' domiciles when per- 

 forming this annual process in their own houses. Average size of egg.s 

 19'24 X 13"91 mm. ; average weight of full eggs 1 '993 gr., of empty shells 

 •106() gr. 



Riparia riparia [Liinu'). Saxd-Martin. 



An annual visitant in large numbers and bi-eeding in banks of sand- 

 pits at Ma/e. Average size of eggs 17'02 x 12"24 umi. ; average weight of 

 full eggs r3<S gr. , of empty shells '078 gr. 



Order COCCYGES. 



Family CUCULID.^l 



Cuculus canorus Llmu'. Cuckoo. 



The latter half of April is usually the time of the Cuckoo's arrival in 

 the district, the earliest note being 11th April. This bird's parasitic liabits 

 are well krto^^n and here its victim is generallj^ the Meadow-Pipit, but its 

 egg has also been seen in the nest of Redbreast, Hedge-Sparrow, Pied 

 Wagtail and Reed-Bunting. Average size of eggs 22'44 x 16'42 mm. ; 

 average weight of full eggs 3'294 gr. , of empty shells "1728 gr. 



Order CORACIIFORMES. 



Family CYPSELID.^. 



Micropus apus Ilartert. Swift. 



The most regular migrant in its times of arrival and departure, the 

 former oceuring on or near the 1st of May (earliest date 20th April in 1909). 

 By the middle of August the bulk of the Swifts depart but a few may be 

 seen for a week or so afterwards. The latest recorded date by Thompsonf 

 is 11th September in 1836, but in 1918 the writer saw one on 15th 

 September. Tlie latest recorded occurrence in Ireland^ is at Glenarm, 

 Co. Antrim, on 8th October, 1903. It may be emphasised that the Swift 

 is a bird of little affinity with the Swallow, in fact belonging to a far- 

 removed Order of birds. Its nearest relations are the Humming Birds of 

 America. Average size of eggs 24 '67 ^ 16 '13 mm. ; average weight of full 

 eggs 3 gr. , of empty shells '23 gr. 



[An observant farmer informed me that on one occasion a bird had 

 quickly flown past him at close quarters. The bird, he said, was just like 

 a Swift but much larger and with its upper parts the colour of a Sand- 

 Martin. Possibly this bird may have been an Alpine Swift, Micropus 

 melba Havltrt. This bird has been recorded four times from Ireland, 

 the last of which was a dead bird found near Lough Neagh in May, 1866.] 



* iJai. Hist, of Ireland. Vol. I, p. 394. 

 + Nat. Hist, of Ireland, Vol. I, p. 417. 

 : Irish Natiiralisf, Vol. XII, p. ;«0. 



