BLACK SWIFT.—Family Micropodidse. 
422. Cypseloides niger borealis. 7 inches. 
The plumage of the Swift is a dull sooty black, somewhat 
lighter on the under parts. The tail is slightly forked ami does 
not have the spines which are usual with this family. Al¬ 
though the general habits of this species are well known, but 
little is known of their nesting; they are seen during the breed¬ 
ing season about the higher ranges of their United States range, 
and are supposed to nest in the crevices of cliffs at high alti¬ 
tudes. 
VAUX SWIFT. 
424. Chcetura vauxi. 4 1 /2 inches. 
This small- Swift is not nearly as common as the preceding, is 
much paler in color and white on the under parts and throat. 
Their habits are much like the last, only that they make use of 
hollow trees in which to place their nests, which are made of 
twigs glued to the tree with the glutinous saliva of the birds, 
forming a very shallow platform in which they deposit three or 
four pure white eggs. They are on the wing much of the time 
during the day catching insects, or several pairs seemingly at 
play in the air, generally at quite high elevations, toward dusk 
returning to their nesting places. 
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