CYPSELID&. 265 
THE NEEDLE-TAILED SWIFT. 
ACANTHYLLIS CauDACcUTA (Latham). 
An example of this Asiatic species was shot at Great Horkesley, 
near Colchester, on July 8th 1846, having frequented that neigh- 
bourhood for two days, and was examined in the flesh by Doubleday 
and Yarrell. The latter did not include it in his 3rd Edition of 
‘British Birds,’ being probably under the impression—then generally 
prevalent—that the species was a native of Australia, to which it is 
now known to be merely a winter-visitor. On July 26th or 27th 
1879, another specimen was obtained near Ringwood, in Hampshire, 
having for a few days before been seen flying with a companion over 
the river Avon by Mr. Corbin, on whose behalf the specimen was 
exhibited by Prof. Newton at a meeting of the Zoological Society. 
This fine Swift has not yet been noticed in any other part of 
Europe, and its western breeding-limits are probably in the moun- 
tains to the south of Krasnoiarsk, in the upper valley of the Yenesei, 
whence Seebohm received specimens. The late General Prjevalsky 
found it in summer up to 62° N. at Yakutsk on the Lena; while it 
is moderately abundant round Lake Baikal, and rather plentiful on 
