108 THE BIRDS OF CALCUTTA. 



ieet that they did not separate even when taken in 

 hand. The Swift seems, as might be expected with 

 such feet, not to be able to walk like other birds, but 

 only to crawl in a shuffling flat-footed fashion like 

 a nestling, with the hocks touching the ground ; and 

 I had to catch one and tie its wings to find this out, 

 for if you place a Swift on the ground he wastes no 

 time in pedestrianism on his own account, but jerks 

 himself into the air at once — if he can, for both this 

 species and the home Swift have been said to be 

 incapable of rising when once down. I have, 

 however, several times experimented with our bird 

 and with one exception always found uninjured 

 birds could get under way, even the two fighters I 

 mentioned above ; but I did get one specimen which 

 -apparently could not start till I threw it up in the 

 air. It is not difficult to get hold of Swifts for 

 experiment, for of all the birds I have met with, the 

 Indian Swift is the best hand at getting into a scrape 

 ab any age ; several times I have heard the piteous 

 squeals of one in the grip of a crow, and I once 

 extracted a wretched individual from a drain, too 

 weak to fiy when he was released ; while getting 

 into a room, forgetting the way out, and so circlmg 

 round hopelessly till he drops is quite the ordinary 

 thing for a Swift to do ; I presume if he is driven 

 •out of his nest he is altogether lost for the time. 



