" These birds often descend to the ground, and I have frequently come on one dusting itself
like any old sparrow on the roadside. I have also several times seen thein clinging on tit-Like to
the hark of trees, peering into and picking out little insects from the crevices."
To the eastward this Bee-eater ranges into Cochin China. Br. J . Anderson met with i t on
the second detile of the Irawaddy; and M. Tiraut says (Bull. Com. Agric. de la Cochin Chine, ser. 3 ,
vol. i. p. 97) that it is " most common at Tra-vinh, where it occurs with M. viridis, though
inhabiting duTerent localities ; I never saw it at Thuduu-inOt nor at Saigon." There is, I may add,
a specimen in the Twecddalc collection from Canton, China.
In the Malay peninsula it is met with down to Penang, whence it is recorded by Mr. Ilumc
(Str. Feath. viii. p . 48) ; and Lieut. Kelham says (I. c.) that he shot both the present species and
Merops sumatranus at Kwala Kangsar, Ferak, in February 1877, where they were flying about a
sand-bank near the river. I give above some notes from the pen of Major Bingham respecting
the habits of this Bec-eatcr; and Col. Legge, writing respecting its habits as observed by him in
Ceylon, says (B. of Ceylon, p. 313) :—" The banks of rivers which flow through forest or t he
borders of jungle-begirt tanks are the favourite localities of this bird iu the low country. In the
Central Province I have seen it principally in the vicinity of rivers in the deep valleys leading to
the Mahawelliganga, on roads leading through jungle, and in spots studded with high trees on
the sides of steep ravines. It is usually in pairs, and is very arboreal in its habits, sitting on the
topmost or most outstretching branches of high trees overhanging water, and darting thence on
its prey, much after the manner of a Flycatcher. It takes short flights, and often returns to the
same perch again. It is a very pretty object, with its bright green plumage and glistening
rufous head, as it darts from the fine old trees lining the forest-rivers down to the edge of t he
sparkling stream, and glides over the sandy bed, quickly catching up some passing insect. A
pair may sometimes be seen seated on a dead twig, touching one another, so very sociable is it in
its disposition. It has a soft note, differing from that of either of the foregoing species, which it
generally utters from its perch."
Br. Jerdon says that it "pursues insects from its perch on a lofty tree and generally returns
after having captured one. I t breeds in holes in banks, generally, but not always, close to
water."
Major Bingham writes to me:—" These Bee-eaters dig their holes, so far as I have observed,
only in the banks of streams, making a tunnel from four to seven feet deep, inclining downwards
at a slight angle. Like that of Merojjs ciridis this ends in a rounded chamber, somewhat greater in
diameter than the tunnel, which is never lined. The eggs vary from three to five iu number, and
are a shade larger than those of M. viridis, from which they are undistinguishable in colour and
shape. InTcnasserimtbis Bee-cater lays in March, April, and May." Mr. Layard,in his "Notes
on the Ornithology of Ceylon " (Ann. &. Mag. N. I I . 1853, sii. p. 174), says that " the present
species affects the billy forcst-rcgion. Here it pursues its insect prey among the loi'ty tree-tops,
seldom descending to the ground, except in the breeding-season, when it frequents steep banks for
the purpose of providing a suitable habitation for its young: this is generally effected by scooping
a hole in the soil, to the depth of about 18 inches, terminating in a domed chamber, in which the
young are hatched on the bare ground. The eggs, two in number, resemble those of the Kingfisher
in shape and colour: they are hatched in April."
Col. Legge says (I. c.) that he " found the nest of this bird on the banks of the Oindurah
in the month of April. The hole was excavated in the soft mould near the top of the
bank, went in about 2 feet, with an average diameter of 2 inches, and at the end widened
into a cavity of 4 or 5 inches in height and nearly double that in width. There were four
young ones lying on the bare ground, which was swarming with Hve maggots, ants, and flies,
brought in for their food by the old birds. The nestlings showed a marked difference in age;
two were perhaps not three days old, and the others had the green scapular feathers already
sprouting."
I am indebted to Major Bingham for eggs of this Bee-eater, which closely resemble those of
Merops viridis, but are somewhat larger in size.
The specimens figured arc in my own collection.
In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens :—
E Mus. JJ. E. Dresser.
a,<J. Tenasserim, 25th October, 1877 (C. T. Bingham), h. Houadraw River, Tenasserim, 2nd May, 1879
(C. T. Bingham). c. Kota Lama, Perak, 15th February, 1877 (H. R. Kelham). d, $. S. Andamans, 3rd January,
1873 (R. G. Wardlaw Ramsay), e, ? . S. Andamans, I8th January, 1873 (R. G. W. R.).
E Mas. Xrit.
a,b. Madras (Baker), c. Nepal (Hodgson), d. Travancore (Bourdillon). e. Ceylon, 22nd February, 1877
(Legge). f,g. Tenasserim (Oates). h. Lower Pegu (Oales). i, <$ . Second dclile of the Irawaddy, 5th March,
1875 (Anderson), k. Malacca (Cantor). I. Penang.
E Mas. Tweeddale.
a. Rase of Garo Hills (Godwin-Austen), b. Mymcnsur (Godwin-Austen), c. Dchra Doon. d,e. Marachiaitty,
November 18C5 (S. Chapman). /l0*; g, ? . Burhar, Coonoor Ghat, April 1878 (Wardlaw Ramsay). h,<$. N.
Khasia Hills, February 1876 (A. IV. Chennell). i. Ceylon (Neville), k, I. S. Andamans, January 1873
(Wardlaw Ramsay). m,n. S. Andamans, Oth February, 1873 (W. R.). o,p. Tonghoo, September 1871
(W. R.). q, S . Rangoon, 30th November, 1873 (IV. R.). r, <f. Rangoon, 7th December, 1873 (W. R.},
s.t. Karen Hills.March 1871 (IV. R.). u,v. Barmah. w>]0*. Houndraw River, Tcuasseriua. x. Tenasserim,
6th January, 1877. y, ? . Tenasserim, 3rd February, 1877. z. Canton, China.
E Mus. M. Seebohm.
a. Bombay Presidency, b. Sikkim, 1877.
E Mus. Paris.
a. Malabar (Duvaucel).