Melittaphagiis coltaris (Vicill.), Grmy, Hnnd-I. of B. I p. 101, no. 1223 (1869).
Sphecophobus angolenm (Gm.), Gray, IIand-1. of B. i. p. 100, no. 1219 (1869).
Mtlittophagus cyanostktus, Cab. J. f. Orn. 1875, p. 340 ; id. op. cit. 1878, p. 335.
Fignrm notabiles.
Briss. Orn. iv. pi. xliv. fig. 1 ; D'Aubenton, PI. Enl. 318; Lcvaillaut, Hist. Nat. Gucp. pi. 17; Reicbenbach,
Meropinm, pi. ccccxlvii. figs. 3340, 3241.
HAD. Africa, from Abyssinia and Senegal, down to Natal and the Transvaal.
Ad. supra psittacino-viridis, rcmigibus dilute fcrrugiucis, primariis cxtus viridi margiuatis et vix nigricanti apicatis :
secundariis valde uigro tcrminatis et uidistinete albido apieatis; secundariis intirais clongatis dorso concoloribus
: caudu fcrrugiiuv'i emispicuc nigni tcrminata et albido apicata, rei'tricilms diiahus (riUrulihus dorso concoloribus
; tamiA transoculari nigra suprii vix eyanco margiuata : gulil flava, torque jugulari nigro plcrumque
cyaneo marginato : pectore bete fuseo-ciunamomco : abdominc fulvo-aurautiaco vis virescentc lavato: rostro
et pedibus nigris : iridc rubra.
Juv. supra sordide psittacino-viridis, plumis pallidioro margiuatis: gulil sordide flavidu: pectore sordide viridi:
abdominc et suboaudaltbus sordide llavido-cervinis, torque jugidari nullo.
Adult (Fnntee).—Upper parts bright parrot-green, not very dark in tinge; quills bright
rufous, externally edged with green, the primaries narrowly, and the short secondaries broadly
terminated with black, the latter narrowly tipped with greyish white; elongated inner secondaries
coloured like the back; tail rufous, broadly terminated with black and narrowly tipped with
greyish white, the central reetrices coloured like the back; chin and throat yellow; a broad
black patch passes from the baso of the bill through and behind the eye, and there is a slightly
defined blue superciliary stripe; lower throat crossed by a broad black band, narrowly edged
above with blue ; below this band the undcrparts are rufescent orange, the colour being much
darker near the band, and gradually fading towards the vent, which is rufous-buff; under surface
of the wings warm rufous-buff. Bill and legs black; iris bright red. Total length about 5-5
inches, culmen 1-1, wing 3-2, tail 2-0, tarsus 0-4; tail slightly emarginatc, the outer feathers
extending 0"16 beyond the central ones.
Young (Kakoma).—Upper parts dull parrot-green, the feathers having somewhat paler
edges ; throat dull honey-yellow, breast dull green; abdomen and under tail-covcrts dull yellowish
huff; no dark baud across the throat.
the boundaries of the Cape Colony. . .. i a J m y . Mr- Jesse procured
Mr. Blanford found it common in the Anseba valley, ^^J^L; and, according to
two specimens at Betook on the Anseba b u t o c c u r r i n g in
VouHcuglin, it is one of the commonest of the couuHes into
Southern Nubia and Takah, and be met with it from the Samhax an
% up to from 7000 to 8000 feet above the sea-level, and along the White and Blue Niles, on
the Sabat and Ghazal, westward to Kosanga. It is stated by Cabanis and Heine to occur in Egypt;
but Von Ilouglin considers this to be an error. Mr. Pethcrick records it from Kordofan,"and
Messrs. Fischer and Beichenow from the GaUa country. It has been met with in East Africa
right down to the Transvaal. Dr. Boehm obtained specimens (which I have now in my collection)
at Kakoma and Sagara. Captain Speke shot this bird at Mcninga. Sir J. Kirk obtained it at
Dar-es-Saluam, opposite Zanzibar; and it has been recorded from Mozambique by Bianeoni.
On the western side of the continent of Africa it has been met with, as above stated, from
Senegal nearly down to the Cape Colony. Adanson records it from Senegal; Vcrreanx from
Casamanze; there are specimens in the British Museum from Gambia; and it is said to be
common on the Gold Coast, whence I have examined many specimens. M. DuChaillu obtained
it in Gaboon, and Captain Sperling and others have sent examples from the Congo. According
to Dr. Beichenow (J. f. O. 1875, p. 18) it is " common in the river-districts of the Cameroon and
"Wuri, affecting the maize- and yam-plantations and the open steppes, and frequenting low bushes.
I have never seen it high up in the air, and they travel about in pairs or families, and have a
more restricted range." It is also, he says, found on the Loango coast. Señor Anehicta procured
it on the Cuncnc river. Professor Barboza du Bocagc and Monteiro record it from Angola and
Benguela; and the latter, who met with it at Massagano in Angola, remarks that it was " generally
seen in the high grass and about flowers, which it searches for insects or honey, and it has a
very agreeable chirping song."
In Damara Land, Mr. Andersson writes (B. of Damara Land, p. 02):—" This exquisite and
diminutive species is common on the banks of the rivers Okavango, Teoughe, and Botlctlé, as
well as on the Lake-watersheds in general, and also about Lake Ngami itself; hut I havo never
observed it so far south as Damara Land proper. It seems to bo partial to the immediate neighbourhood
of the reedy banks of rivers and of swamps and morasses ; and I have never found it
at any distance from water." It does not occur within the limits of the Cape Colony, but appears
to be common in Natal and the Transvaal. According to Mr. Ayrcs, who met with it in Natal:—
" These Bee-caters are particularly fond of frequenting reedy marshes and swamps, and arc to be
found hero in certain localities all the year round. They are by no means so plentiful as
Savi"ny's Bee-enter, which is only here in the summer months. It is seldom that more than five
or six arc to be seen together, and generally not more than two. When feeding, their flight is
not so prolonged as that of Savigny's, neither is their note so loud and harsh." nc further
states that it is abundant about Itustenburg, frequenting sparsely wooded localities, and pretty
generally distributed; it is pretty common along the Limpopo, being generally seen in pairs,
but sometimes in small companies. Mr. Sharpe (in Layard's B. of S. Afr. p. 100) says that
Dr. Exton procured it at Kanye in the Matabili country, and generally throughout Zululand
during the winter months, and ho wroto to him that " i t flies low, and perches on twigs near the
ground, from whence it launches after passing insects." Mr. T. E. Buckley writes (Ibis, 1871,
p. 3 0 3 ) " I saw one or two pairs of this species on the banks of the Limpopo on my way up,
and another pair or two on the Samouqui river in the Matabili country. They were plentiful
in comparatively open country in the north of the Transvaal on our way down, and were to be
seen sitting, singly or in pairs, on a smaU branch of a bush on the look-out for insects, which
they caught on the wing. I once saw a small party of about eight together."
According to Sir J. Kirk, this Bee-eater is widely distributed in the Zambesi country in the
vicinity of water.