324 SWALLOW. 



frequents the ponds and marshes for fifteen or twenty days, after 

 which it retires to the mountains to breed ; Scopoli says, it builds on 

 the summit of the mountains of Tyrol ; but it seems to be more 

 frequent in Spain and Gibraltar, being at the latter equally numerous 

 with our Common Swift. Mr. White observes, in this as in the com- 

 mon one, that it is larger there than authors mention, being nine 

 inches and a half long, twenty-two and a half broad, and weighing 

 three ounces and seven-eighths. They arrive often as early as the 

 25th of March, never sooner; first to be seen about the highest 

 summit, and these proceed farther, and several successions seem to 

 come before they stop there ; often in the beginning of the season, 

 fly so high as to be out of sight, and known only by their being 

 heard : during the west winds, always remain on the summit, seen 

 only near the town in a levant wind, on the sudden rising of which 

 they swarm over the whole town among the Common Swifts; but 

 after breeding time, although the levant winds blow, they do not 

 come to the town ; hence it may be supposed, that the reason for 

 their frequenting the town is to collect materials for their nests, as 

 all those shot in the town have had their mouths full of feathers, 

 hair, wool, and such like : the nest is composed in the same loose 

 manner as in the other Swift; the eggs are five or six in number, 

 and the young fly in June. They depart usually the first week in 

 August, and great numbers from other parts also congregate here, 

 till the first week in September. The voice is peculiar ; a shrill, 

 jarring, tremulous scream while on the wing, very distinct from the 

 Common Swift, not unlike the cry of some Eagles or Hawks ; 

 at other times they twitter like a Swallow. The flesh is accounted a 

 delicate morsel, and they are at first coming very fat. 



In young birds the belly is slightly streaked with brown ; the 

 white part on the throat does not meet that on the belly, but is 

 separated by a narrow bar of black across the breast, as in the Bank 

 Martin ; there has been some reason to suppose that this bird has 

 been seen in England; but being related to me upon slight authority, 



