214 DR. O. FINSCH ON BIRDS FROM NORTH-EASTERN 
MS. name of Temminck. From the probability of these differences proving to be 
permanent, Dr. Sclater is not unwilling to base upon them a species, but not having 
specimens enough, he abstains from speaking decisively on the subject. Mr. Tristram 
(Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 887), maintaining that all the southern specimens agree in 
these peculiarities, declares with more certainty that Cypselus barbatus is a well-deter- 
mined species, being “the South-African representative” of Cypselus apus. Waving 
had opportunities of examining a great number of Cypselus apus from different parts 
of Africa (Sennahr, Bogosland, Benguela, Damaraland, the Cape, and Natal), I must say 
that the so-called Cypselus barbatus is nothing more than the young bird of our C. apus. 
It is known that our Swift is one of those migratory birds which come latest and depart 
earliest. Von Heuglin met with the Swift in the beginning of August in Bogosland, 
and Mr. Jesse in the same country some days earlier, viz. in the end of July (27th). 
Mr. Victorin observed them in the Cape Colony already in the middle of August. 
During their stay in Europe they breed, as every body knows, and, after this period, 
depart as soon as their young ones are able to accompany them. It seems that these 
young Swifts in the first plumage are less known to ornithologists; for they bear the 
same white margins on the feathers as the South-African “C. barbatus.” The old 
Swifts, when they leave us, have also considerably lighter colours, and change their 
plumage during their stay in Africa. I have seen many African specimens which 
were partially moulting. A specimen from Benguela, which M. Barboza du Bocage, 
believing that it might be new, sent for inspection to Bremen, had the wings 1 inch 
shorter, and the primaries just developing. There is also a great variation in the 
extent of the white markings. The above-mentioned specimen from Benguela is 
greyish brown, having each feather margined with light greyish; the gular patch is 
greyish white, and very extended. Another one (Cape Town, November 9th) is dark 
above, only the feathers on the vent, crissum, and under tail-coverts having white 
margins. A male (Cape Town, November 8th) very similar, but the light margins 
rather narrower. A male (Damaraland, October 14th) somewhat lighter, nearly 
without white margins; the white gular patch well defined. Specimens from North- 
eastern Africa agree in every respect; the white margination varies in individuals. An 
old female (Chartum, September 26th) wants the white margin, and is nearly as dark 
as the European ones. The narrow black central line on the feathers of the white 
gular patch, which Mr. Tristram mentions in the African C. barbatus, is not at all a 
character of specific value; for this peculiarity we find in other species of Swifts (e. g. 
C. caffer, affinis, &c.), also sometimes wanting or more or less defined. 
To speak with greater certainty on this subject I submitted the Benguela and some 
white-margined specimens from Bogosland for inspection to Professor Blasius, of 
Brunswick, one of our first authorities on European ornithology, as is well known by 
every body. In his kind answer, Professor Blasius writes to me:—“ Your specimens 
from Mossamedes and Bogos are nothing more than the young C. apus, and I cannot 
