BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 361 



same, although not as definitely indicated by the few facts we possess. 

 Not enough is known to plot the migration either geographically or 

 on a fairly exact time (season) scale. Brehm recorded this bee eater 

 as arriving at Khartoum in the beginning of June and departing for 

 the south in late November. On the other hand Neumann found it 

 migrating through Kaffa in March. Zedlitz found that it was absent 

 from January to May in the Eritrean and Danakil coastal belt but 

 was abundant there during the latter half of June. 



Little is known of the breeding season, except that it is probably 

 in late summer. Antinori states that the nesting time is in Septem- 

 ber. Farther north it is said to begin earlier. However, Von 

 Heuglin states that the males molt into fresh plumage in September 

 in Sennar and western Ethiopia, a fact which suggests that the 

 nesting season probably begins in late July or early August. 

 Keichenow ^ records this species breeding at Khartoum in October 

 (on the strength of Murie's observations). 



An error that should be corrected lest it cause confusion, is the 

 supposed occurrence of this bird in the Ethiopian and Eritrean coast- 

 lands during the winter. Eeichenow^ records it from there from 

 December to February on the basis of Blanford's notes. Hov/ever, 

 Blanford " writes that in — 



December, Jaiiuary, and February this bird was not found in the coast 

 region, but with some other species it migrated into the country in the spring, 

 and abounded throughout iSamhar in June and July. I saw it as far inland 

 as Rairo in Habab, but it appeared to be restricted to tlie tropical dry coast 

 region. 



The female from Chaffa and three of the birds from 18 miles 

 southwest of Hor are young and ha^e the central rectrices only 

 slightly longer than the others. They also have the feathers of the 

 crown tipped with greenish. According to Reichenow ^ yoTing birds 

 lack the light bluish color just posterior to the black pectoral band. 

 However all these specimens have this color developed to the same 

 extent as do the adults. 



The molts of this bird present one feature of interest, namely 

 that they are irregular with respect to migration. That is, some 

 individuals molt in their winter quarters (after migrating) while 

 others molt before leaving their breeding range. Thus, in a small 

 series from Tanganyika Territory (winter quarters), November to 

 January, some birds are in very worn plumage (November) while 

 others (November and January) are in fresh plumage. As already 

 noted in another connection. Von Heuglin found the birds to molt 

 in September in their summer or breeding range. 



»V5g. Afrikas, vol. 2, p. 318. 



1" Geol. and Zool. Abyss., 1870, p. 321. 



