Order PICARI^. 



Family CYPSELIDiE 



THE SWIFT. 



Cypselus apus (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 23. 



This summer visitant to our islands often arrives in the south of England 

 at the end of April, at which time I have seen it in the Isle of Wight, but in Surrey 

 the date of its coming is usually early in May. It leaves us rather suddenly 

 and mysteriously about the middle of August or a little later, without the notice- 

 able gatherings so often displayed by the Swallows and Martins before taking 

 their departure. There are few parts of the country where it is not more 

 or less plentiful, except in some portions of northern and western Scotland. It 

 is widely spread over Europe during the summer, as far north as Scandinavia 

 and Russia, while in winter it retires to Africa and Madagascar. 



It haunts the neighbourhood of towns and villages, the nest being placed in 

 some recess or crevice in the darkness beneath the thatch or tiles of cottages 

 and houses, under the beams on the roofs of churches, and sometimes in crannies 

 in the rocky faces of cliffs ; a very small opening is sufficient for the entry of 

 the bird, which can squeeze itself through a tiny crevice ; according to Gilbert 

 White they even turn their bodies edgeways to effect their purpose. For the 

 construction of the nest the bird collects some straws, grass, wool, or feathers, 

 gathered while on the wing, and glues these together with a glutinous secretion 

 from the salivary glands. The two white eggs are rather rough in texture and 

 elongated in form ; they are usually laid at the end of May or beginning of June, 

 and unless some accident happens no second brood is reared in the season, while 

 birds have been known to abandon their young rather than delay their departure. 



The shrill ringing scream of the Swift is a familiar summer sound, as the 



birds dash in their wild career, the clamour varying in intensity as they wheel 



13 



