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THE AUSTRALIAN NEEDLE-TAILED SWALLOW. 
its nest. This curious habit of the Night-hawk is seen in New York City. Its singular 
booming sound, alternating with peep-peep, is quite distinct above the noise of the streets. 
Two other species of Night-hawks are seen in the Northern States. 
These birds are active about the early morning hours and during twilight, while the 
Whip -poor- W ill is wholly nocturnal in habit, spending the day in sleep, sitting on some limb 
lengthwise. 
SWALLOWS. 
THE SWIFTS. 
The close-set plumage of the Swallow Tribe, their long, sickle-like wings, their stiff, 
firm tail, forked in most of the species, and their slight legs and toes, are characteristics which 
mark them out as birds which spend the greater part of their existence in the air, and exercise 
their wings far more than their feet. 
They all feed upon insects, and capture their prey in the air, ascending at one time to 
such a height that they are hardly perceptible to the naked eye, and look merely like tiny 
dots moving upon the sky, while at other seasons they skim the earth and play for hours 
together over the surface of the water, in chase of the gnats that emerge in myriads from the 
streams, during the time and season when they assume the perfect form. The gape of the 
mouth is therefore exceedingly great in these birds, reaching as far as a point below the eyes. 
The bill itself is very short, flattened, pointed, slightly curved downwards, and broad at the 
base. 
The group, which is scientifically termed the Hirundlnidse, is a very large one, and is 
divided into two lesser groups, the members of one being classed together under the title of 
Swifts, while the others are known by the name of Swallows. With the former birds we have 
first to deal. 
The Swifts, technically called the “Cypselinee,” or Cypseline birds, are readily distin- 
guished from the Swallows by the very great comparative length of the two first primary 
feathers of the wing, which are either equal to each other, or have the second feather longer 
than the first. The secondaries are remarkably small, being nearly concealed under the coverts. 
There are ten primaries in the "wing, and the same number of quill feathers in the tail. 
The Australian Spine-tailed, Needle-tailed Swallow, or Swift, as it ought rather 
to be called, is the largest of all the Swallow tribe, measuring no less than twenty-eight inches 
in total length when the wings are closed, and twenty inches to the extremity of the tail. 
The title of Needle-tail has been given to this bird on account of the curious formation 
of the tail-feathers, which are short and even, and have their extremities devoid of web, so as 
to form a row of sharp, short points, as if a number of needles had been thrust through the 
shaft of each feather. This species is a native of Australia, and as may be seen from the fol- 
lowing extract from Mr. Gould’s work on the Birds of Australia, is very interesting and curious 
in its habits, and worthy of special attention from any naturalist who may chance to have an 
opportunity of watching it. 
“ The keel or breast-bone of this species is more than ordinarily deep, and the pectoral 
muscles more developed than in any other bird of its weight with which I am acquainted. Its 
whole form is especially and beautifully adapted for aerial progression, and, as its lengthened 
wings would lead us to imagine, its power of flight, both for rapidity and extension, is truly 
amazing. Hence it readily passes from one part of the country to another, and if so disposed 
may be engaged in hunting for flies on the continent of Australia at one minute, and in half- 
an-hour be similarly employed in Yan Diemen’s Land. 
“ So exclusively is this bird a tenant of the air, that I never in any instance saw it perch, 
and but rarely sufficiently near the earth to admit of a successful shot ; it is only late in the 
evening and during lowery weather that such an object can be accomplished. With the excep- 
