78 Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 
scend, and would fly lower than either of their associates, some¬ 
times sweeping close to the ground—a habit which we never 
observed in C. abyssinicus. They would dash past us with be¬ 
wildering swiftness. The sharp, grating sound of the whirr of 
their wings struck the ear for a moment; but the eye could 
scarcely follow them. However, as their flight was always re¬ 
markably straight, we were able to secure several specimens as 
they passed us. The motion of their long sharp wings was 
scarcely perceptible. Dr. Jerdon says that the flight of this 
Swift, though elegant and rapid, is not nearly so powerful as 
that of the two Spine-tailed species. If so, the speed of these 
latter must be a considerable improvement on the “ greased 
lightning” of American imagination. Near Safed we found 
a colony breeding in a much more accessible position, evidently 
having young in the middle of May. We obtained several 
specimens, but had neither time nor appliances to attempt their 
nests. 
Once only did we find this Swift breeding near the ground 
and in an accessible position, and then we had the vexation 
of actually touching the eggs without being able to take them. 
On the 2nd of May we had climbed to the summit of Jebel 
Jilad (Mount Gilead), overlooking the deep Jordan valley from 
the east side, one of the grandest panoramic views in Pales¬ 
tine. After standing for some time on a projecting plat¬ 
form of rock which forms the western brow of the mountain, 
we descended to examine the face of the cliff, and discovered 
three large and partly artificial caves immediately below us. 
They were a mass of fossilized ammonites; and while hammering 
away at these in one of the caves, out flew two Alpine Swifts, 
whose nest we soon discovered in a crevice about six feet above 
the floor of the cavern. The chink, which was about three inches 
in perpendicular diameter, was contracted by a plastering of very 
hard mud, which cost us some labour to work out. Inside, the 
cavity enlarged as it descended; and after scooping away the 
clay and portions of the rock with a small hammer, I was at 
length able to touch the two eggs with the tips of my fingers. 
Anything for a scoop ! A kingdom for a spoon ! But in vain; 
and when we went up again to search for an available stick, we 
