THE NEEDLE-TAILED SWIFT. 9 



First winter. — Like adults but usually with some black -tipped 

 under tail -co verts . The juvenile body-feathers are moulted from 

 Aug. -No v., but not apparently all of them and not wing- or tail- 

 feathers nor wing-coverts. Summer. — A complete moult takes 

 place from Jan. -May as in adult and the bird then becomes indis- 

 tinguishable from adult. 



Measurements and structure. — (J wing 203-216 mm., tail includ- 

 ing "spine " 49-54, tarsus 16.5-18, bill from skull 13-15 (12 measured). 

 $ wing 195-212. Primaries : 1st longest, 2nd 1-4 mm. shorter, 

 3rd 11-15 shorter, 4th 25-32 shorter, 5th 42-50 shorter, 6th 60-70 

 shorter ; primaries very narrow and incurved towards their tips, 

 webs not emarginated but tip of 1st much attenuated and tips 

 of rest pointed. Outer secondaries very short and tips somewhat 

 squared off, inner secondaries longer and tips rounded. Tail very 

 short, almost square, ten feathers, very stiff and with shaft pro- 

 jecting 4-6 mm. beyond web in a stiff needle-like (or spine-like) 

 point. Under tail-coverts very long. Bill, gape and nostrils 

 like Swift. Tarsus bare. Toes and claws fairly long and latter 

 very strong and sharp. Hind -toe (1st digit) short and directed 

 backwards. 



Soft parts. — Bill black ; legs and feet flesh-colour with a 

 purplish tinge ; iris dark brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — Ch. c. nudipes (Himalayas, 

 Mts. Assam) has no white on fore-head and is more glossy on crown 

 and nape. Ch. cochinchinensis (Malacca, Sumatra, Cochin China) 

 has pale brown chin and throat. White throat and under tail- 

 coverts, dark brown breast and belly, metallic -coloured wings 

 and tail and short needle-pointed tail-feathers are distinctive 

 characters. 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds in crevices of cliffs, and according to 

 Przevalsky, also in hollow trees. Nest. — Like that of other Swifts, 

 composed of materials picked up in air, and according to some 

 writers a gelatinous substance, secreted by bird. Eggs. — 2 or 3, 

 white and dull in surface. Average size of 27 eggs, 29.9 X 18.8 mm. 

 Max.: 32.2x20. Min. : 27.5x19.3 and 31.2x17.5. Breeding- 

 season. — First half of June in Siberia. No details of incubation. 



Food. — -Insects taken on the wing. Few details obtainable, but a 

 British killed specimen contained remains of hymenopt era (Vespa), 

 lepidoptera (Lencania) and small coleoptera (Corbin). 



Distribution. — England. — Two. One Great Horkesley (Essex) 

 July 8, 1846 (E. Newman, Zool, 1846, p. 1492). One (said to have 

 been with another) Kingwood (Hants.) July 26 or 27, 1879 (A. 

 Newton, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1880, p. 1 ; G. B. Corbin, Zool., 1880, 

 p. 81). 



