Page:The Common Birds of Bombay.djvu/55

Rh Ptyoprogne concolor. The first word ought to be hooted down, but concolor is good, for the bird is of one colour, and that is the colour of smoke. There is a little, round, white spot on each feather of the tail, but this is hardly noticeable. The Crag Martin loves rocks and makes its nest on them, under some overhanging ledge; the material is of course mud, with feathers for a warm lining. The season is either just before or just after the monsoon, and it lays three or four white eggs, speckled with brown. It is common about Malabar Hill and spends much of its time flying up and down the face of the cliffs under The Ridge. It is not remarkable for swiftness or grace of flight. In fact, I should not say that it was remarkable for anything. It is a commonplace bird.

But the most abundant and familiar of this whole family in Bombay itself is the Palm Swift (Cypselus batassiensis), which in other parts of the Presidency is a very rare bird. The reason may be found in its name. It cannot live without palm trees. Any palm will not do; it requires the Brab, or Tar, palm; for it cannot think of any situation for its nest except one of the wrinkles on the underside of the broad leaf of this tree. I have indeed seen a pair trying to accommodate themselves about a cocoanut tree, but they were in difficulties. As may be inferred, the Palm Swift is a bird of small intellect, a feeble creature indeed in all respects. Even its flight is feeble for a Swift, and it seldom wanders far from home. Consequently it is an unknown bird in the Deccan generally and in large tracts of the Konkan, and if ever you do see it you may safely lay odds that there is a Brab