the tip, the terminal portion blackish in colour; under surfaee of the wing pale fox-red; bill
black; legs blackish brown; iris red. Total length about 12 inches, culmen 1-6, wing aSb,
tail 7 5 , tarsus 0'45: central rcctrices extending about Scinches beyond the lateral ones; first
and second wing-quills nearly equal and the longest.
Young.—Resembles the adult, but is rather duller in colour and the central reetrices arc not
elongated.
Obs. So far as I can ascertain from the specimens I have examined, the sexes do not differ
in coloration, and in the entire series the difference in measurements is very trilling, viz. culmen
1*8 to 1"6, wing 5-0 to 6-0, and tail 0 5 to 7 6 , the variation in the length of the tail being chiefly
owing to the difference in the development of the central feathers. The coloration of the throat
differs also not a little; for in some examples the blue is very broadly margined below with black,
whereas in others there is scarcely any trace of the black margin, and, as a rule, these latter are
the smaller birds, though some of them have the central rcctrices very long, and it may therefore
possibly be a sexual difference.
THE range of the present species extends over the northern portions of Tropical Africa. On the
west side of the continent it occurs from Senegal down to Bissao, and on the east side from the
coast-lands of Abyssinia down to Zanzibar, being replaced in Southern Africa by its ally Jlerops
nubicoides. There are specimens in the Leiden Museum from Senegal, and in the British Museum
from the river Gambia. Verrcaux records it from Casamanze ; Forbes met with it on several
occasions on the Niger; and 1 have examined examples from Bissao, below which I do not find
any instance of its occurrence on record. On the cast side of the continent it is recorded from
Abyssinia by Mr. Blanford, who, however, says (I. c.) that he only once saw it, when a large
number were collected about one shot close to the hot spring of Atfeh, on the shores of Anncsiey
Bay, where Mr. Jesse met with it once. Von Heuglin writes that it is " a n inhabitant of the
warmer portions of Abyssinia, ascending to an altitude of 0000-7000 feet. "We found it common in
Takar, Scnaar, Kordofan, and along the White Nile." Von Ilartmaun says (I. c.) that " one sees
it in Nubia from 10° X. lat. to Kordofan, Scnaar, and on the "White Nile to the Equator."
Br. Fischer records it (J. f. O. 1879, p. 283) as observed in large numbers in June, north of
Mimbrui, on a pasture covered with mimosa trees, and ho also met with it at Ngau on the riverbanks.
I am uncertain as to how far it ranges down in East Africa; but Messrs. Finsch and
Hartlaub say {/. c.) that according to Von der Decken it is supposed to occur as far south as
Zanzibar.
Writing respecting the habits and nidification of this species in North-east Africa, Hartmann
says that it is found throughout the year in large flocks, which increase in size during the
nesting-season. He met with it in March 1801, where the Amotmul river passes through the
south-eastern part of the Djurland, in a flock of about a thousand individuals, which left the riverbank
where they were nesting, circled about in the air for a time, and then returned again to the
steep river-banks, which they literally carpeted, so that they were coloured with red, green, and
blue, and made a lovely picture. Antinori tried to obtain their eggs; but the numerous nestholes
were in the high banks far above the water, and so deep that a two-metre long negro's lance
only reached to about two thirds of their depth, nartmann, after much trouble, got to two
nests by digging from above; one contained three and the other four wax-yellow unspotted eggs,
which were placed on a few straws and feathers. They measured 23 by 17 millim. These birds'
retain the rich coloration of their plumage all the year, but specimens obtained in
and October differed from those procured in May by the length of the central reetrices.
Dr. Vierthaler obtained it in September on a journey to Kamlin, and remarks that it was
then in full moult. They have a peculiar habit of perching on the backs of Storks (Ciconia
abdimii); and to see these birds stalking along each with a red rider on his back is a most peculiar
sight.
According to Von llcuglin (I. c.) it "is gregarious and is occasionally found in flocks of
thousands. It breeds about the commencement of the summer rains, in the n c r o countries
along the Abiad as early as in March and April, and in East Sudan between June and August.
One finds the breeding-colonies both alongside the water in the forests, in the open parts of the
forest-region, and even on the steppes, though here more scattered and frequently iu single pairs.
The bird digs very deep, usually straight holes, extending either straight or crookedly in the
ground; and the nest-chamher is rather enlarged and contains on a slight bed of dry grass-straws
three to five eggs, blunt oval in shape, glossy in texture, and pure white in colour; when the egg
is fresh it is pale rosy reddish in tinge, but when blown it is yellowish. They measure 11-12"'
by 9-9^"'. After breeding, theso birds collect in flocks and migrate northwards to about 10° N.
lat., passing over the vast savannahs, where they find an abundance of food in the way of grasshoppers.
Early in the morning its loud flute-like gurgling call echoes from the bushes and trees
where the birds have been roosting, and soon the entire flock flics off and circles about high in
the air, uttering their cries, until the dew has dried, when they proceed to hunt after insects in the
high grass and along the streams, and, except during midday, they continue bunting most
zealously. They live almost exclusively on Orthoptera, which they usually capture on the wing.
Should the prairie catch fire these Bee-eaters collect from far and near and shoot in amongst the
smoke and flames to seize the insects that arc scared up, taking no notice of the numerous birds
of prey which have likewise collected in search of food. We frequently saw these birds on the
backs of cattle when grazing, especially on asses, and even on the backs of Ciconia abdimii, which
is a most ca^er grasshopper-hunter, and is usually seen in small family parties in the high grass.
As they walk along they frighten up the smaller Orthoptera, which are C&Ught by the Iícc-eaters,
who, after securing their prey, settle again on the animals' hacks; and I usually observed that the
same Bee-cater always returned to the back of the same Stork on which be had previously been
riding. During the beat of the day these Bee-eaters take shelter in bushes and trees, which they
frequently litcraUy cover, and a flock thus closely settled makes a lovely picture. Between
December and April they migrate by degrees southward into tho forest-region. In their habits
they are, if any thing, more noisy and restless than their allies; their flight is Swallow-like and
rapid— they soar and glide along for some distance, then strike quickly with their wings, spread
their tail, and rush like an arrow straight up into tho air, descending again as quickly. On tho
Tana lake, in Abyssinia, I saw numbers in February and March, but in April and May they
disappeared altogether."
Dr. Brcbm speaks of it as being a migrant in the countries watered by tho Nile, passing
down to about 15° N. lat. during the rainy season, moulting there, and then travelling southward
again.
The specimens figured and described are in my own collection.