42 
Allen’s naturalist’s library. 
June. Many succumb from cold and subsequent starvation, 
from arriving too early, before the frosts have quite left us. 
As a rule the Swifts are most active towards the evening, 
when they fly about in parties, dashing round the houses or 
towers in which their nests are placed, screaming vociferously 
in concert. Their food consists entirely of insects, which are 
seized upon the wing. Nevertheless,- at certain times, the 
Swift may be seen hawking over the low ground, over a river, 
or high in the air, even in the brightest sunshine, so that it is 
evident that the daylight does not deter it from issuing forth 
from its recesses, though it is undoubtedly in the twilight that 
the bird is most active. 
The short legs of the Swift incapacitate it from walking on 
the ground, and its long wings are obviously in the way ; but it 
is a mistake to suppose that the bird can never rise from the 
earth, as the contrary has been proved. It is, however, never 
seen to settle voluntarily on the ground for the purpose of col- 
lecting material for its nest, as can always be observed in the 
case of the Swallows and the Martins. From the situations 
in which it builds its nest or in which it roosts, it can always 
shuffle to the openings and launch itself into the air. 
Nest. — A rough structure of straws and like material, mixed 
with a few feathers and wool, and cemented together by the 
saliva of the bird. It is sometimes placed in the crevice of a 
cliff or building, or at the protected base of a spout, but is 
more often placed under the roof of some building. 
Eggs. — Pure white, of an elongated oval shape. Generally 
two in number, often three, and more rarely four, the texture 
of the shell being always more rough than in 'the eggs of the 
Swallows. Axis, o'95-i‘o5 ; diam., o'bs-o'y. 
THE SHORT-TAILED SWIFTS. SUB-FAMILY 
CH^TURINHi. 
This Sub-family contains a number of species, mostly tropi- 
cal in their habitat. They have the toes with the usual four 
joints, and the tarsi bare of feathers. The tarsi are long, 
equalling the length of the middle toe, but the tail is very 
