gale, and riding out a short but dangerous sea which set in and
raised a surf on the shore, through which it was impossible to land,
the male birds came off in flocks of about fifteen, and flew over the
surface of the water. On no other occasion have I seen them take
wing of their own accord, or keep on the wing during the day.”
Mr. Andersson remarks :—“ This bird, when seen on the wing at
dusk, presents a most singular appearance, giving the idea of a
large double-winged bat.”
We are convinced that the bird recently described by the editor
as Macrodipteryx sperlingi, the type of which was obtained at sea in
the Bay of Malimba by the late Commander Sperling, is only the
female of 0. vexillarius. A specimen agreeing in every particular
with the type was shot by the late Mr. Andersson at Otjimbinque on
the 13th of October, 1859, the very day on which he procured the
male Gosmetornis mentioned above, so there can be but little doubt
that our surmise is correct.
The male in full breeding plumage is an unmistakeable bird, being
easily recognized by its long streaming quill-feathers, which reach
out far behind the bird’s body. The female can be told by the
broad rufous bars, six in number, on the under surface of the quills,
and by her broad rufous neck-collar: she has no long streamers, and
looks like an ordinary Caprimulgus at first sight.
Fig. Gould, leones Avium, ii, pi. 8.
Fam. CYPSELFDiE.
86. C ypselus a pu s , Common Swift.
Cypselus barhatus, Gurney in Anderss. B. Dam. Ld. p. 47.
The supposition that the Swift of South Africa constitutes a different
species from the ordinary Swift of Europe, does not seem to
us to be founded on fact, and we believe that when 0. apus leaves
Europe, its makes South Africa its winter home. It is extremely
abundant about Cape Town during the South African summer, disappearing
about the middle of April. Mr. Atmore however says
this species sometimes remains with us all the year and did so at
George in 1870. Mr. L. Layard also used to declare that he saw it
all the year round at Swellendam, not every day, but frequently, at
odd times. This is curious, but a similar thing happens with Ootyle
paludicola, which we ourselves saw in the depth of winter hawking
over a river in the Strandveldt.
The following is an extract from our diary with respect to the
migration of the Swifts and Swallows :—“ We have this year (1861)
kept a strict watch over their time of departure. The result has
been as follows :—
“ April 9th. G. apus and C. caffer about in abundance. Hirundo
cucullata come into town, the other swallows having left us.
“ April 27th. Large flocks of G. apus flying at a great altitude,
and screaming; these were observed at night-fall—in fact just at
dark.
“ May 3rd, morning. 0. apus and 0. melba in the upper regions,
trending to the northward.
“ May 30th. Several specimens of G. apus flying about the top of
the ‘ Lion’s Bump,’ in company with a flock of Gotyle fuligula—
three shot. After this they disappeared, with the exception of
Gotyle fuligula, which remains with us all the year.”
In 1867 the Swifts first arrived on the 3rd of August, and in 1868
they were noticed on the 28th of that month, about which time Mr.
L. Layard also saw them at Swellendam. Yictorin has recorded the
species from the Karroo,' and he shot it at the Knysna in August.
Mr. Bickard has procured this Swift both at East London and Port
Elizabeth, and in Natal Mr. Ayres says they “ may be seen more or
less all the year round, but are more plentiful in summer. They are
generally in numbers, their flight being exceedingly rapid and mostly
at a considerable height: their food consists of small insects.”
According to Mr. Andersson, it is common in Damara and Great
Namaqua Land during the rainy season. It has likewise been sent
from the Bio Ghimba in Mossamedes by Senor Anchieta.
We have remarked that here they are not in the habit, as in
Europe, of chasing each other round lofty buildings, uttering piercing
cries and throwing up their wings. This evolution is performed
by 0. caffer, and we are inclined to attribute it to some love-gambol,
as 0. caffer breeds here, and G. apus does not. The latter, however,
constantly utters shrill screams when at a great altitude in the air;
and our attention has thus often been called to flocks that would
otherwise have escaped our notice.
General colour black, with a greenish reflexion on the mantle and