152 



a great amount of food. A list of the species taken by it includes great 

 numbers of ants, June bugs, squash beetles, chinch bugs, leaf-hoppers, 

 and other obnoxious species. The habit, common in some places, of using 

 this bird as a live target by gunners when practising is inexcusable and 

 those guilty of it should be rigorously prosecuted. It should be realized 

 that every offence against the laws protecting insectivorous birds is some- 

 thing more than a technical offence against an impersonal state; it is a 

 direct blow at the welfare of the whole community. 



SUBORDER— CYRSELI. SWIFTS. 



A widely spread suborder consisting of one family of which in eastern 

 Canada we have, only a single species. 



FAMILY — MICBOPODID.E. SWIFTS. 



The North American Swifts are divided into two subfamilies, only 

 one of which, the Spine-tailed Swift Chceturinm, is represented in eastern 

 Canada. 



Subfamily — Chaeturinae. Spine-tailed Swifts. 



The Swifts are a group of birds superficially resembling Swallows, but 

 structurally very different from them, the similarity being brought about 

 by common requirements and not by relationship. A description that is 

 applicable to the whole subfamily is given under the specific heading 

 following. 



Genus — Choetura. Chimney Swift. 



423. Chimney Swift, pe. — le martinet dbs cheminees. l'hirondelle des 

 cheminees. Cheetura pelagica. L, 5-43. Plate XXI B. 



Distinctions. The even, sooty brown colour lightening on the throat and becoming 

 darker towards the vent, is almost sufficient for recognition. The projection of the shafts 

 of the tail feathers (Figure 39, p. 25) beyond the webs as sharp stiff spines is a positive 

 identification mark. 



Field Marks. The peculiar, long, narrow, and somewhat club-shaped wings, well 

 shown in the illustration; the nearly continuous quick beating; the dense dark coloration; 

 and the habit of entering chimneys, are distinctive and characteristic. 



Nesting. Originally in hollow trees or clefts in rocks, now over most of the range of 

 the Chimney Swift, in unused chimneys. The nest is a firm structure of twigs cemented 

 together with a natural glue furnished by the salivary glands. The edible nests so much 

 in demand by Chinese epicures are composed of the cement from a closely allied Swift. 



Distribution. Eastern North America, north to the limit of cultivation. Breeds in 

 Canada wherever found. 



This is an interesting species, swallow-like in outward appearance and 

 food-hunting habits yet structurally distinct from the Swallows. It is an 

 odd example of parallel development of widely separated characters induced 

 by similarity of requirement. Its habits have entirely changed since the 

 advent of the white man and, forsaking hollow trees, it is now practically 

 dependent upon chimneys for sites in which to build its nest. The winter 

 home of the Chimney Swift is unknown. The mystery, however, should 

 not be exaggerated, as there are numbers of Swifts in the western hemisphere 

 looking very like this one and the bird has probably been overlooked in its 

 winter quarters or confused with closely allied forms. The Swift spends 

 much time on the wing and seldom comes to rest except in a chimney or 



