loe
crosses the lower throat; rest ot the underparts of a deep tawny golden tinge, becommg almost
fox-red just below the blue hand, and paling to a golden buff on the under tail-coverts; bill
blackish; legs brownish grey, iris red. Total length about U inches, cultnen I S , wmg 3-9,
tail 3'6, tarsus 0-45.
Adult female.—Resembles the male.
Yawng (fide Heuglin).-Paler in colour than the adult, the upper parts more blue; throat
yellowish white, on the sides pure white, the blue pectoral band wanting; underparts bluish green.
THE p r e s e n t species appears t o b e r e s t r i c t e d t o North-east Africa, w h e r e i t i n h a b i t s t h e more
e l e v a t e d p o r t i o n s o f A b y s s i n i a . According t o Mr. Blanford (Oeol. & ZooL of A b y s s i n i a , p. 322)
i t i s a c o m m o n s p e c i e s i n A b y s s i n i a in t h e passes from 3 0 0 0 feet upwards, and was often seen by
h i m i n t h e h i g h l a n d s , e s p e c i a l l y after t h e m o n t h of March. In t h e A n s e b a v a l l e y i t was replaced
b y Melittophagns pusillux. Mr. J e s s e says t h a t it was c o m m o n u p t h e pass from Sooroo t o Senafo
d u r i n g April and M a y . Von I l e u g l i n says (I. c.) t h a t he found t h i s species in t h e warmer portions
of A b y s s i n i a , never in flocks, b u t in pairs and families. It p r o b a b l y does not migrate, as h e s aw it in
J a n u a r y , F e b r u a r y , and March o n t h e Takazie, at Gondar, and in t h e Galla country, a n d i n J u l y and
A u g u s t i n t h e S a m h a r a n d B o g o s c o u n t r i e s ; Lefcbvre m e t w i t h i t i n A u g u s t i n Schirie, a n d Brchm
at M e n s a in t h e spring. Buppell s p e a k s o f i t a s a m i g r a n t a t Gonda:- i n March. It i s nowhere
c o m m o n a n d appears v e r y l o c a l , i n h a b i t i n g l o c a l i t i e s a t a n a l t i t u d e o f f r om 1 5 0 0 t o 7 0 0 0 feet, and
affects h i g h t r e e s a l o n g r a v i n e s a n d forest-streams, where i t keeps w i t h i n a l i m i t e d range, which it
l e a v e s u n w i l l i n g l y . In D e c e m b e r t h e s e birds were fresh moulted, and fledged young were seen
d i r e c t l y after t h e r a i n y season. Bespeeting t h e h a b i t s of t h i s Bee-eater I find n o t h i n g on record
beyond t h e m e a g r e d e t a i l s above g i v e n ; and I have n o d a t a r e s p e c t i n g i t s n i d i l i c a t i o n , in which it
d o u b t l e s s c l o s e l y r e s e m b l e s i t s a l l i e s MeUMophayus sonnini and M. pusillus.
The s p e c i m e n figured and described i s i n m y o w n collection.
I n t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of t h e above a r t i c l e I h a v e e x a m i n e d t h e f o l l o w i n g specimens :—
E 3tus. 11. E. Dresser,
a, 6*. SenafS, Abyssinia, 12th May, 1808 (Jesse), b. Abyssinia (Verreaux).
E Mus. Tweeddale.
a. Sooroo, Abyssinia, 5th April, 1868 (Jesse).
E Mus. Brit.
a,b. Anseba river, Abyssinia (Ester), c. Abyssinia, 3000feet, 17thFebruary, 1868 (W. T.Blanford). d. Baraket,
Abyssinia, 7500 feet, 21th May, 1868 (fP. T. Blanford). e, J. Senafc, Abyssinia, 12th May, 1868 (Jesse).
EMus. Paris.
a, 6, c, d. Abyssinia (Petit If Dillon).