THE LITTLE GREEN BEE-EATER 55 



swoops down on its prey and then back again to 

 its perch to enjoy its food. This it will continue 

 to do by the hour together, till, first stretching 

 out one wing and leg, and then the other, it 

 decides to set out for pastures new, and with an 

 easy, long, sweeping flight, rising and then falling, 

 it disappears from view. It is a very tame little 

 bird, and is met with literally everywhere ; but 

 it is undoubtedly most fond of the wells with 

 a few trees growing round them, or the gardens 

 or palm-groves. I do not remember to have seen 

 one actually on the ground, in which matter it is 

 similar to all very short-legged birds, and its legs 

 are very short. 



It is a melancholy fact to have to record that it 

 is far too often shot by visitors ; and worse, some- 

 times now native boys catch it for the delectation 

 of tourists, and, tying a bit of string round its 

 legs, hold it as if it were perching naturally on 

 their hands. They then offer it to tourists as a 

 tame, pet bird, and I fear the tourist too often 

 buys of them, for otherwise these utterly mercenary 

 little rascals would not indulge in this traffic. 

 Needless to say the poor bird always dies — indeed, 

 is more often than not half-dead when in the boy's 

 hand, as its half-glazed eye only too plainly shows. 



