CYPSELIDZ: SWIFTS. 
455 
and southward, common. General habits and traits of a night-hawk, but the difference between 
the two is obvious when they are flying. Eggs 2, heavily veined and marbled, 1.20 0.87. 
22. Family CYPSELIDZA: Swifts. 
Fic. 296. Northern Black Cloud Swift, nat. size. (E. H. Fitch.) 
Fissirostral Picarie : 
Bill very small, flattened, 
triangular when viewed 
from above, with great 
gape reaching below the 
eyes; unnotched, unbris- 
tled, the gape about six 
times as long as the cul 
men. Nostrils. exposed, 
superior, nearer culmen 
than commissure, the 
frontal feathers tending to 
reach forward under them. 
Wings extremely long, 
thin, and pointed (fre- 
quently as long as the 
whole bird); the prima- 
ries acute and somewhat 
falcate; the secondaries 
extremely short (nine ?). 
Tail of 10 reetrices, va-' 
riable in shape, often 
mucronate. Feet small, 
weak, the envelope rather 
skinny than scaly; tarsi 
naked or feathered ; hind 
toe frequently elevated, or 
versatile, or permanently 
turned sideways or even 
forward; lateral toes near- 
ly or quite as long as 
the middle; anterior toes 
_ deeply cleft, the basal 
phalanges extremely short, 
the penultimate very long, 
the number of phalanges 
frequently abnormal (2, 3, 
3, 3, instead of 2, 3, 4, 5; 
see p. 127, fig. 40); claws 
sharp, curved, never pecti- 
nate» Plumage compact, 
usually sombre and whole- 
colored, or only relieved 
with white; sexes alike. 
Sternum _—_ deep - keeled, 
