Among the first of the birds to announce (both by
their absence anct presence) the arrival of autumn, are the swifts—birds, in some places, almost as fond of the towns as of the country. They come late and go early, like the leaves of the ash. These "devil birds" were more numerous and stayed longer than usual in this queer summer, again like the leaves both of ash and,lime ; and my experience is almost identical with that of a Dundee observer; if about a week be taken from the date of arrival and added to the Sate, of departure. The Dundee record is this: "Swifts are our most conspicuous summer birds. This year they appeared on May ro-and I saw the last on August 22. Swallows or martins we do not see here, but this summer I have noticed, what I have observed in'ether-years,-that for-perhaps ten days "aftei tha-swifts have We swallows frequently take their place." In Herts., swifts were seen in September and swallows considerably multiplied in the following days. Why swifts, of all birds, should enjoy towns is a puzzle; but the reason may be that they are there supplied with congenial nesting holes.
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