122 MALAYAN ORNITHOLOGY. 
the birds which I saw squatting along the bare limbs of the tree 
were in all probability sitting on their nests—small, clay, cup- 
’ shaped structures, usually, I believe, built on the upper horizontal 
branches of high trees. 
While on the tree the Swifts were far out of gun-shot; but by 
waiting till they returned to the water, I secured two or three 
specimens ; and the following is a description of one of them :—It 
differs from D. coronatus, the Indian species, in being mueh 
smaller, also the tail does not project beyond the tips of the wings. 
Length from beak to end of tail 8 inches; irides dark-brown; legs 
aud feet dull-purple: head, crest, upper parts, wings, and tail 
bright metallic bluish-green, except the rump, which is grey ; 
underparts grey ; becoming white on the abdomen and vent. 
In Singapore, late in August, J shot a Crested Swift out of a 
flock of about twenty as they dashed past in a southerly direction. 
Could they have been migrating? It was the only time I saw 
any of them on the island; and they did not loiter, but flew 
straight on in a direct line, as if with a fixed purpose. 
DENDROCHELIDON CoMATA (Temm.). 
I saw specimens of this curiously plumaged Swift which had 
been shot near Changhi, Singapore; mine were killed on Gunong 
Pulat, Johor. 
CapRIMULa@us MacruRUs (Horsf.). The Malay Nightjar. 
“One of the most common of Malay birds, but more so in ecultiva- 
ted districts than in the thick jungle, though even there it abounds 
wherever there are roads or clearings. 
About the Singapore roads it is very plentitul of an evening, 
either hawking for the insects which then swarm, or else squatting 
motionless on the road till almost trodden on, when it rises with 
a flutter into the air, and skimming close over the ground, settles 
again a little further on. During the heat of the day, the Nightjar 
retires to the depths of the jungle, frequenting those parts which 
are in deep shade ; but towards dusk it sallies forth in search of 
food, and, particularly on moonlight nights, its monotonous “ chunk! 
ehunk ! chunk! chunk !” is heard on all sides, about the most notice- 
able of the many strange nocturnal sounds. These peculiar notes 
have a inetallic-ring, very like the sound made by throwing a stone 
