Ornithology of the Egyptian Soudan. 351 



146. Merops persicus Pall. 



The Blue-cheeked Bee-eater is also an abundant visitor in 

 winter and spring until the end of April. 



In 1902, at the beginning of March, I met with it in 

 great numbers at Lake No and along the Bahr-el-Ghazal, 

 sitting on the " ambatch " and papyrus, and skimming down 

 to capture insects from the surface of the water. Eastwards 

 I have shot it at Gedaref and have seen specimens from 

 Kassala. It is often common at Khartoum. 



14-7. Merops albicollis Vieill. 



a. £ . Near Gedaref, June 9, 1901. 



b. <$ . Wells at Fou, May 21, 1903. 



c. <$ . Setit River, May 14, 1903. 



The beautiful White-throated Bee-eater, so easily recog- 

 nised by its pale sea-green colour, I have met with from the 

 Setit to Jebel Ahmed Aga on the White Nile, but it is a 

 comparatively scarce species, and I have never seen very 

 many together. Its favourite haunts are rocky hills or 

 "kopjes" covered with thorn-bush, and in such localities a 

 few pairs are almost always to be found. I have once or 

 twice seen it in Khartoum, but it is rare to meet with it far 

 from the "jebels." 



148. Merops viridis Linn. 



a. S ■ Khartoum, Oct. 2, 1902. 



b. S • » Feb - 1 9 °3- 



The Green Bee-eater is very common all over the northern 

 parts of the Soudan. It becomes rarer on the White Nile, 

 but I have seen it at intervals as far along as the Bahr-el- 

 Ghazal, and up that river to Meshra-el-Rek. 



The only other Bee-eater with which this species associates 

 is Melittophagus pusillus. I have sometimes seen them 

 sitting touching each other, but more often the Green 

 Bee-eater will drive away the other if it approaches too 

 closely. 



The brassy lustre which this bird shews when wheeling 

 in the sunlight is very pretty. 



2b 2 



