SWIFT. 181 



INSESSORES. 



FISSIROSTRES. HIR UN DIN ID. K . 



PLATE XXXVI 



SWIFT. 



Cypselus murarius. (Mihi.) 



The Swift inhabits the greater part of Europe, from north 

 to south, Asia, Africa as far as the Cape, and is not un- 

 common in North America. The most northern latitudes 

 are not frequented by this bird. With us it is a summer 

 visitant, arriving in May and departing in August. In 

 performing their migrations their flight is generally very 

 high, and they travel in companies ; they arrive as it were 

 all in one night for their summer sojourn, and depart as 

 suddenly in autumn ; but a careful observer may detect their 

 restless behaviour some days before they depart, and their 

 chattering may also be heard louder when going to roost. 

 During the winter the Swifts reside in very warm climates, 

 but never in a hiding-place in Britain or the like unfriendly 

 atmosphere, nor remain in any part of Europe. 



The favourite haunts of the Swifts are towns, where there 

 are lofty buildings, old fortresses or castles, church-steeples, 

 &c. ; and where such buildings or lofty trees do not exist, the 

 number of Swifts is comparatively limited. For instance, in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Windsor Castle and Hampton 

 Court Palace these birds abound to a much greater degree 

 than in many other parts of the river Thames. Swifts pur- 

 sue their insect food very frequently for hours over the 



