These birds reach our 
shores much later in the 
spring than most of their 
fellow-migrants, and are 
seldom to be seen before 
the middle of May. Like 
the famous civil servant, 
too, they make up for 
coming late by leaving 
early; for by the second 
week in August they have , : 
taken their departure, 
with the exception, perhaps, of 
a few belated pairs which have 
remained behind to take care of 
their scarcely-fledged young. 
The nest, which is made of feathers, bits of 
straw, and any other suitable material which the 
bird may happen to find floating in the air, cemented together 
with saliva, is generally placed in a hole under a roof, a 
couple of feet or so from the entrance. It has occasionally 
been found, however, in crevices in cliffs and in hollow 
trees. The eggs are curiously long and narrow in proportion 
— Z to their circumference, and are so 
fragile that they cannot be ‘ blown ” 
without a good deal of difficulty. In 
colour they are pure white. 
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