THE ATTEMPTED BREEDING OF THE BEE-EATER 151 



THE ATTEMPTED BREEDING OF THE BEE- 

 EATER {MEROPS API ASTER) IN MIDLOTHIAN. 



By William Eagle Clarke. 



The present summer (1920) witnessed one of the most 

 remarkable events ever recorded in the annals of British 

 ornithology, namely, an attempt on the part of a pair of 

 Bee-eaters to nest in Scotland an essay, however, which 

 most unfortunately was not achieved. The phenomenal 

 nature of this attempt may be realised from the fact that the 

 scene selected by these feathered adventurers lies only a 

 little short of a thousand miles north of the accustomed 

 nesting-quarters of the species in Western Europe. 



On the 3rd of June, Mr David Hamilton discovered that 

 a pair of these birds had taken up quarters on a sand-bank 

 flanking the western side of the river Esk at Musselburgh. 

 Mr Hamilton at once informed his friend, Mr Kirke Nash, 

 of this most interesting fact, and the two had the birds 

 under daily observation for nearly a fortnight. A full 

 and detailed account of their watchings was communicated 

 to The Scotsman, in whose columns it appeared on the 

 1 8th of June. That the birds had established themselves 

 for the season and fully intended nesting was obvious from 

 their behaviour, and from the fact that they had selected a 

 particular hole in the sand-bank, doubtless of their own 

 excavation since a small heap of sand was found just below 

 it. This hole was frequently visited and occupied at intervals 

 by both birds, sometimes simultaneously. Circumstances, 

 however, were unfortunately against them. The presence of 

 such unusual and singularly beautiful visitors was liable to 

 attract the attention of the public who continually traverse 

 the much frequented footpath which skirts the river opposite 

 the site chosen by the Bee-eaters. All, however, appears to 

 have gone well until the 12th of the month, on which date 

 the female was not observed, and the watchers surmised that 

 she might be engaged in the duties of incubation, as the 

 male was still present. 



