THE EMERALD MEROPS 211 



buried themselves with a loud thud in the earth close 

 beside them. Colonel Butler gives an account of a 

 bee-eater nesting in an artificial mudbank, about a 

 foot high, that marked the limits of the badminton 

 court in the Artillery Mess compound at Deesa. One 

 of the birds invariably sat upon the badminton net 

 when people were not playing, and at other times on 

 a tree close by, while its mate was sitting on the eggs. 

 As I have already said, bee-eaters are not afflicted with 

 shyness. 



Very soon after their arrival at Lahore the birds 

 begin their courtship. At this period they seem to 

 spend the major portion of the day in executing 

 circular flights in the air. They shoot forth from their 

 perch and rapidly ascend by flapping their wings, then 

 they sail for a little on outstretched pinions and thus 

 return to the perch. 



Courtship soon gives place to the more serious busi- 

 ness of nest construction. When a suitable spot has 

 been found, the birds at once begin excavating, digging 

 away at the earth with pick-like bill and holding on 

 to the wall of the bank by their sharp claws until the 

 hole they are making becomes sufficiently deep to 

 afford a foothold. As the excavation grows deeper 

 the bird throws backwards with its feet the sand it 

 has loosened with its beak, sending it in little clouds 

 out of the mouth of the hole. While one bird is at 

 work its mate perches close by and gives vent to its 

 twittering note. After working for about two minutes 

 the bird has a rest and its partner takes a turn at 

 excavation. Thus the work proceeds apace. Bee- 



