MEROPID^ MEROPS 61 



make short darts from a fixed perch. As is the case with other 

 species their food consists of insects, chiefly small wasps; the note 

 is harsh and grating. Like the European Bee-Eater this bird, 

 though only found here during the summer as a migrant from the 

 north, is yet known to breed. Kirk and Ayres have noted this on 

 the Zambesi and Vaal rivers respectively, but the details given do 

 not show any difference in this respect from the habits of other 

 species. 



Mr. Millar sends the following note regarding the occurrence of 

 this bird near Durban: " The Blue-cheeked Bee-Eaters are migra- 

 tory, generally appearing along the coast during the summer months 

 in large flights, and when they discover suitable hunting ground will 

 remain in the locality for some time ; they may be seen perched on 

 the reeds in the marshes or on twigs, diving to and fro in search of 

 small flying insects. Neither their nest or eggs have come under 

 my observation and it is doubtful whether they breed in this 

 neighbourhood." 



407. Merops boehmi. Bdhm's Bee-Eater. 



Merops boehmi, Beichen. Journ. Ornith. 1882, p. 233, pL ii, fig. 2 ; 



Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xvii, p. 83 (1892) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 83 



(1897) ; Alexa7idei\ Ibis, 1900, p. 97 [near Tete]. 

 Merops dressed, Shelley, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 303, pi. xvi. 



Description. Adult. — General colour above bright grass-green, 

 including the scapulars and wing-coverts ; the lower back, rump 

 and upper tail-coverts slightly washed with blue ; quills green, 

 internally pale fawn-colour and tipped with blackish, the inner 

 secondaries entirely green ; tail-feathers green, with black shafts 

 and tips ; crown of head cinnamon-rufous or light bay ; a line at 

 the base of the forehead, lores, and a band through the eye to the 

 ear-coverts black ; cheeks and throat fawn colour, the former 

 separated from the ear-coverts by a line of blue ; remainder of under 

 surface green ; on each side of the vent a tuft of ashy feathers ; 

 under wing-coverts and lining of the quills fawn-colour (Sharpe). 



Iris red. 



Length 9"5 ; wing 3*14 ; tail 3-0, to end of centre tail feathers 

 5-7 ; tarsus 0-35 ; culmen 1-1. 



Distribution. — This bird was first obtained in German east 

 Africa, it is also found in Nyasaland and extends southwards to 

 the Zambesi, on the southern bank of which river it was observed 

 by Alexander, about sixty miles below Tete. 



