6 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



tips of rest pointed. Secondaries very short, outer ones shorter 

 than and inner about as long as 10th primary, tips wedge-shaped 

 except innermost which are rounded. Tail much forked, ten 

 feathers, tips pointed. Bill very flat and broad at base, tip of 

 upper mandible strong and curved. Gape very wide, mouth 

 opening nearly as far back as posterior edge of eye. Nostrils 

 prominent and oblong. No rictal or nasal bristles Tarsus short 

 and very strong and feathered anteriorly, but bare behind. Toes 

 short and strong, hind-toe (1st digit) very short and directed 

 inwards and forwards ; claws strong and sharp (see fig. C, vol. 

 1, p. 5). 



Soft parts. — Bill and feet black ; iris deep brown. 



Characters and allied forms.— A. a. pekinensis (Persia, northern 

 Asia) is very similar but upper-parts are rather browner and 

 fore -head and fore -part of crown especially are paler brown ; 

 A. a. marwitzi (Caucasus, Asia Minor) is brown like last but fore- 

 head darker. Apus murinus and subspecies have more white on 

 throat and are browner on upper -parts. Scimitar-like wings, 

 almost uniform blackish colour except for white chin distinguish 

 Swift from other British birds. 



Field -characters. — Sooty-brown plumage, long, narrow, sickle- 

 shaped wings and short body at once distinguish Swift from Swallow, 

 even at a distance. Pre-eminently aerial ; flight, accomplished 

 by a few rapid wing-beats alternating with long glides on motion- 

 less, outstretched wings, extremely rapid and dashing. At times 

 courses singly or in scattered bands low over pastures or sheets 

 of water, at others hawks for food high overhead. Often ranges 

 far from its nesting-places in houses and sea-cliffs, and may be 

 seen about the summits of our highest mountains. Its power 

 of flight is seen to greatest advantage on fine summer evenings, 

 when the birds dash in a screaming band through a village street, 

 or career round the church -tower, to mount still higher as the 

 light fades, until they are no longer visible, although their scream, 

 a harsh long-drawn " swee-ree " may still be heard. 



Breeding-habits. — Nests in crevices under eaves of houses, often 

 in colonies, in holes of thatch ; occasionally in natural cavities 

 in face of cliffs or in old nests of House-Martin. A T es£.— Composed 

 of bits of straw or grass, seeds of trees, bud cases, feathers, etc., 

 picked up floating in the air and agglutinated with saliva. Eggs 

 also at times laid on top of old Sparrows' nests in holes. Eggs. — 

 Usuallv 2-3, but occasionally 4 met with, dull white. Average 

 size of 100 eggs, 24.9 X 16.2 mm. Max. : 28 X 17.6. Min. : 22 x 16 

 and 23.5 X 14.3. Breeding -season. — Last days May and early June. 

 Incubation. — Apparently by hen only ; at least 18 days (Steele- 

 Elliott). Single brooded. 



