mmmm 



( 65 ) 



ORD. III. GEN. XIII. SWALLOW. 



SPE. IV. SWIFT. 

 PL 127. 



Hirundo apus. Lin. Syji. I. p. 344. 

 Le Martinet. Brif. Orn. II. p. 5 1 2. 



This is the largeft of our fwallows, being nearly eight inches long, and eigh- 

 teen inches in extent of wing, yet it weighs fcarcely an ounce. The bill is 

 black : the eyes hazel : the whole of its plumage a dull footy black, except the 

 chin, which is white. The tail is forked, the outer feather exceeding the mid- 

 dle one by about an inch. It differs from the reft of the genus in having all 

 the toes placed forwards ; the leaft confifting of one bone only, the others of 

 two each. The legs are very fhort. 



The female is rather lefs than the male, the colour of her feathers inclines 

 more to brown, and the white on the chin is lefs diftinct. 



This bird comes late into England ; feldom before the beginning of May. 

 It makes a loofe neft, chiefly by placing a few foft feathers, or the like, in a 

 hole in fome elevated place, as a fteeple or tower, and lays not more than five 

 eggs, of a longifh fhape, and white: fee PI. XXVIII. Fig. 4. The fwift is 

 more on the wing than any bird we know, performing all its functions, incuba- 

 tion excepted, in the air. Its flight is extremely rapid, and attended with a 

 ftirill fcream. 



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