MICROPITS.
Toes 4, all pointing forwards for clinging; constantly hawking insects by day; nest in holes and crevices in cliffs, caverns, and walls; eggs white.
Micropus melba melba (L.). ALPINE SWIFT. Fr. Martinet h ventre Blanc ; Ger. Alpensegler ; /fa/. Rondone di mare.
d Y Above brown ; beneath white with brown breast band, under wing and under tail coverts ; tail forked. Bill blackish. Tarsus feathered. Feet dull yellowish brown, claws black. Wing 213-225. Tarsus 14-16. Bill 9-ro. Fork of tail 22-24 Breeds.—Mountains and Towns of S. Europe, from Pyrenees, Alps, and Translyvania to Mediterranean and Islands, Crimea, Caucasus ; S.W. Asia cast to Himalayas, S. India and Ceylon ; also N.\V. Africa. Migrates ; occurs Egypt on passage ; winters tropical Africa and S. India. Occurs exceptionally in C. Europe to Denmark and Britain.
M. melba tuneti (Tschusi). Paler and lighter in colour. breeds.—Tunis to Palestine.
Micropus apus apus (L.). SWIFT. Fr. Martinet noir ; Ger. Mauersegler ; Mal. Rondone nero ; Swed. Ringsvala.
8 9 Brown with a strong bottle-green tinge, chin and upper throat white ; 1st primary usually 1-5 nun. shorter than 2nd, rarely equal. 13i11 black. Tarsus feathered in front, bare behind.
Feet and claws black. Wing 165-178. Tarsus ro-I 1. Bill 5-6. Fork of tail about 32.
Breeds.—All Europe, Russia east to Urals ; N.W. Africa (Morocco to Tripoli) ; Palestine. Migrates ; occurs Egypt and Canaries on passage. Winters tropical and S. Africa. Replaced in N. Asia by a browner race ("pekinensis").
" M. apus kollibayi" (Tschusi) (wing averages longer and throat whiter than in "apus") has been described from S.
Dalmatia ; and "M. apus carlo (Kollibay) (more white on throat) has been described from Tunisia, but both these forms are of very doubtful validity.
M. apus marwitzi (Reichenow). Resembles "pekinensis," browner than "apus" ; forehead darker than in former race.
Breeds.—S. Caucasus and Asia Minor. Occurs Egypt and Palestine on passage. Has been found in S.W. Africa in winter.
Micropus murinus murinus (Brehm). PALLID SWIFT. Paler than "apus," more brown grey, with little or no gloss, forehead paler and white on throat more extensive ; 1st primary generally equal to znd, sometimes even longer, occasion ally a little shorter. Bill black. Feet purplish brown.
Breeds.—Egypt, through Persia to N.W. India. Resident in Egypt.
M. murinus brehmorum (Hartert). Darker brown than in "murinus." Wing 164-175 (H.). Bill 6. Fork of tail about 26.
Breeds.—Madeira, Canaries, Morocco, Algeria, Tunis. Winters in South Africa. Rare visitor to Malta and Italy.
M. murinus illyricus (Tschusi). Like "brehmorum" but darker and with a greenish gloss, but much less so than in "apus." Breeds.—Dalmatia, Croatian Coast, Cyprus, Balearic Islands, S. France, S. Spain (very local). Occurs Canaries on passage.
Micropus unicolor unicolor (Jardine).
8" ? Resembles "apus" in wing formula, but is smaller and darker, throat greyer ; occasionally has faint pale margins on underparts irrespective of season. Bill black. Wing i50-155. Tail deeply forked (about 3o m.m.) (H.).
Breeds.--Madeira, Canaries (W. Group and Fuerteventura). Chiefly migratory ; some may winter.
Micropus affinis galilejensis (Antinori).
9 Black with a greenish gloss, head and neck brown, chin, throat and rump white ; tail almost square. Bill and feet black. Wing 132-140 (H.).
Breeds.—Morocco, S. Algeria, S. Tunisia, Palestine, east to Persia and N.\V. India. Has occurred in Italy.
The typical form "M. a. affinis " is found in tropical India and Africa.
CH/ETURA.
Shafts of tail feathers prolonged beyond webs; tarsus bare; 3 toes in front and r behind.
Chmtura caudacuta caudacuta (Latham). NEEDLE TAILED SWIFT.
,3` 9 Above brown, paler, almost white, in middle of back ; head and nape, wings and tail glossy greenish black ; below sooty brown, darker on flanks ; chin, throat and under tail coverts white. Bill black. Legs and feet dull purple. Wing 196-211 (H.).
Breeds.—E. Siberia to Japan. Winters in Australia. Has occurred twice in Britain.