height, towards the north. A few days afterwards we noticed several of these birds among the Hills of
Benjamin, disporting themselves, and often descending to the ground. They were probably preparing to
breed in some of the deep ravines which run down towards the Jordan. From that time, throughout the
summer, we rarely lost sight of this noble bird. The Wady Hamam, opening into the plain o f Gennesaret,
was a favourite resort o f large flocks, which bred in the fissures of the stupendous cliffs, hopelessly beyond
the reach of the most ardent rock-climber and nester. From their habit o f selecting chinks under the overhanging
ledges, it was impossible, even with the aid of ropes, to reach their h oles; and could they have
been attained, the pick and chisel must have been applied indefatigably to reach many of the nests. About
daybreak they might be seen dashing in long lines, with lightning speed, down the ravine, and exercising
themselves over the plain. At this time in the morning we were able occasionally to secure a specimen ;
but very soon they began to rise higher and higher, mingled with numbers o f two other species, till in the
depth of that dark, blue, cloudless sky they were a t last lost even to the keenest sight. Towards evening
they began to descend, flying lower than either of their associates, sometimes sweeping close to the ground,
and dashing past us with bewildering 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
remarkably straight, we were able to secure several specimens as they passed us. The motion o f their
long sharp wings was scarcely perceptible. 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
«■round. On the 2nd of May we had climbed to the summit of Mount Gilead, overlooking the deep Jordan
valley, from the east side, one o f the grandest panoramic views in Palestine. After standing for some time
on a projecting platform of rock, which forms the western brow of the mountain, we descended to examine
the face o f the cliff, and discovered three large and partly artificial caves immediately below us. They were
a mass of fossilized ammonites; and while hammering 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 o f 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
awav the clay and portions of the rock, I was at length able to touch the two eggs with the tips o f my
fino-ers, but was unable to remove them. This was the only instance in which we observed C. melba breeding
not in large colonies. Their roosting-places are few; but what matters this to a bird that can traverse the
whole extent o f the Holy Land in an hour ? The bird does not appear to resort much to the Hermon o r the
Lebanon, preferring the far more precipitous though lower cliffs which line the ravines running down to
the Ghor. One other nesting-place we noticed, in a spot certainly selected with a view to the picturesque.
J u s t above Ifka (Aphek) where the ground is strewn with the marble shafts o f the famed temple of Venus,
a t Adonis, the classic stream of the Adonis bursts, full-grown at birth, in a prodigious volume, from the foot
of a shallow cave under a lofty precipice. Here, on the 18th of June, a colony of Alpine Swifts were
busily engaged in feeding their young.”
“ The scream o f this bird is much louder than that o f the common Swift, and quite as harsh. I t appears
less reluctant than the common species to descend to the ground. I t was interesting to observe how
rapidly the larger bird distances the others when the three species ( C. melba, C. apus, and C. abyssinicus)
were disporting in mid-air together, and how a few of the giants would wheel and double backwards and
forwards, among a somewhat crowded flock of the little C. abyssinicus, and yet never part company from
them for any distance.”—Ibis, 1866, p. 77.
Speaking o f the Alpine Swift as seen in India, Mr. Jerdon says it is not rare in the south, “ all along
the range o f the Western Ghats, from Honoré to Cape Comorin, extending its daily flights often to the western
sea-coast, and occasionally eastwards to Salem, Madura, and even Madras. At times they are very
abundant on the Neilgherries, and, during the cold weather, may very generally be seen on the Malabar
coast. I discovered one roosting-place of this Swift on the magnificent precipices a t the Falls o f Gairsoppa.
Here, especially on the cliffs on each side of the great fall, above 900 feet o f perpendicular height, these
Swifts were congregated in vast numbers; and, from some o f them remaining about the cliffs a t all times of
the day, I have little doubt th at they bred there. Tickell observed the Alpine Swift in Central India,
where he says it is ‘common in all the more elevated regions, but flies so high as to escape observation—and
th at it resorts much to the tops of high rocks or wooded hills, the summits of which it flies round with
great velocity. Flocks sometimes assemble o f an evening near large ponds in the jungles, dashing into the
water with loud screams like our Swift at home.’ I t has not, to my knowledge been observed in the eastern
Himalayas, but it is said to be common in the hills to the N.W. a t all seasons, extending its flight to the
Punjaub, Cashmere, &c., during the cold weather.”— Birds o f India, vol. i. p. 175.
There is no difference in the colouring o f the sexes, which are figured of the natural size.