CHIMNEY SWIFT. 
209 
Nestlings. Quite similar to the above. The rump ami upper tail coverts are quite pale and the line of demarkation be¬ 
tween the former and the back, is quite distinct, and all the feathers of these parts show lighter edgings as do those of the 
top of the head. Bill, dark-brown, feet, light-brown, and sexes, similar, in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
It is remarkable that the nestlings pass directly into the next plumage without moulting. They are, I think, born 
naked but quickly acquire the feathers without any intermediate downy stage. There is so little variaton in plumage, 
even in specimens of different ages, that it requires the closest study to determine which are birds of the year after they have 
become fully grown. The plumage of this species is always smooth and shows but little wear, even just before moulting 
which goes on very gradually, especially on the wings, but two feathers, one on either side, being shed at the same time. 
The new plumage is considerably darker than the old. There is a single white feather in the top of the head of a specimen 
before me showing a slight inclination to albinism which condition of plumage is certainly very rare among these birds, 
the only instance that has come under my notice being a pure white specimen in the collection of Mr. Jesse Warren. It is 
noticeable that the keel is pierced with holes near the sternum, these being larger in the young birds. Distributed during 
summer throughout Eastern North America, south to the Carolinas. Winters south of the United States. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of ten specimens from New England. Length, 5-32; stretch, 12*34; wing, 5*05; tail, 1*65; bill, 
*22; tarsus, *46. Longest specimen, 5'50; greatest extent of wing, 1242; longest wing, 5*21; tail, 1*78; bill, *25; tarsus, *55. 
Shortest specimen, 545; smallest extent of wing, 12*10; shortest wing, 4*90; tail, 1*61; bill, *20; tarsus, *41. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. . 
Nests, placed in the unused flues of chimneys, composed of sticks, cemented together with the viscid saliva which is 
exuded from the sublingual glands. They are semicircular in form. Dimensions, longest diameter, 4*00, shortest, 2*00. 
External depth, 1*75, internal, *75. 
Eggs, four in number, long oval in form, light-creamy in color, not highly polished, and unspotted. Dimensions from 
*76 x *45 to *85 x *50. 
HABITS. 
The first week in May or but a few days later, the Chimney Swifts suddenly make 
their appearance in New England. I say suddenly, for, unlike the Swallows who send 
out a few skirmishers in advance in order to ascertain if the great enemy of their race, 
Winter, has entirely withdrawn his forces, the Swifts come in a body. The day before, 
not a bird of this species is in sight but on the ensuing morning the air is filled with them. 
Their long northward flight from tropical climes is evidently performed without a pause 
for I have seen them crossing over Florida about the first of May in large numbers and in 
a few days they are in their summer homes. There are probably few, if any, birds which 
possess such untiring powers of flight as the Swifts and after their arrival from their south¬ 
ern journey, they appear very lively, darting about through the air as rapidly, and display¬ 
ing as much freshness and vigor, as upon following days, just as though a continuous aerial 
voyage of a few thousand miles over land and sea did not weary them any more than an 
hour’s sail over the meadows. 
This Swift is popularly known as the Chimney Swallow and it is true that in being 
constantly on the wing it does resemble the family of birds from which it derives this name, 
but here the similarity ceases, for neither in form, habit, nor color does it bear any sem¬ 
blance to them. Even the flight is quite different, the wings being used with a quick 
fluttering motion and all the other movements of the birds are performed with an abrupt¬ 
ness quite at variance with the elegant evolutions of the Swallows. I do not mean to im¬ 
ply that the Chimney Swifts are not graceful in some of their changing modes of flight; 
27 
BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 
