8624 Notices of New Books. 



small birds is often resorted to in Italy and the South of Europe." — 

 (P. 142). 



Chmmon Indian Swift. — tc The Indian swifts breed always in 

 company, in colonies of various numbers. Their nests are composed 

 of feathers, grass, straw, cotton rags, sometimes pieces of paper, 

 agglutinated firmly together by the secreted mucus of their salivary 

 glands, occasionally, perhaps, mixed with mud and rubbish. The 

 inside of the nest is hard, glistening and smooth, and feels, says 

 Theobald, like i coarse card-board.' They vary much in shape ; 

 sometimes a first year's nest is open at the top, but they are usually 

 closed, and communicating by the side ; at times of moderate size, 

 at other times very large, and communicating by a sort of tubular 

 neck. They are very solid and heavy, and often very closely packed 

 together. They are built against the rafters or beams, under the roofs 

 of huts and houses, in the corners of old stone buildings, and in 

 verandahs, either inside or outside, if there is protection from sun and 

 rain. Various observers describe the nest as somewhat differently 

 constructed. Burgess says that he has seen their nests crowded toge- 

 ther under the roofs of old buildings, choultries and temples ; one 

 nest, from a rock, was built of mud, lined with grass, and contained 

 two white eggs. Layard states that in Ceylon they breed in great 

 numbers on rocks, also under bridges ; and that the nests, built in 

 clusters, are composed of mud and grasses, with a small round en- 

 trance, precisely resembling those of the martin (Hirundo urbica) ; 

 the eggs from two to four in number, pure white. Adams says that 

 the nest is of mud mixed with wool and feathers. In some of these 

 cases the great w r eigbt and solidity of the nests may have led the ob- 

 server to conclude that they were made with mud. The nest has 

 generally a slight hollow in one place for the reception of the eggs, 

 which are usually two in number, sometimes three, and pure white. 

 Several birds, occasionally seven or eight, occupy one nest for 

 roosting. The birds are very watchful at night, on the least noise, 

 commencing their monotonous pipe. They are said by some to breed 

 repeatedly, generally, I think, twice a year. It is a permanent resi- 

 dent in India, but does not appear to be found out of our province. 

 The flight of this swift is fluttering and irregular on first sallying from 

 their nest in the early morning, and also at sunset just before they 

 retire to roost ; small parties at these times may be seen flying close 

 together, rather high up in the air, and slowly, with much fluttering of 

 their wings and a good deal of twittering talk ; and after a short period 

 of this intercourse, all of a sudden they separate at once, and take a 



