i°5



plumage very much more chestnut above than in the immature

bird. The scapulars and back are creamy buff; and it. is stated

that the forehead is white and the iris lemon-yellow. The throat

is bright yellow, and the under parts of a brighter and more

blue-green than in the young bird ; and a black band crosses the

lower throat, separating the yellow from the green. This black

band does not appear in the first or second feather, though I

think I detect some indications of it in the second feather. The

sexes are fairly alike; but the male is the larger and more



brilliant bird, with little or no green on the head and back. I

feel inclined to say that, as a general rule, and at most ages, the

male may be distinguished from the female by its larger size and

by having so much more chestnut (instead of green) above,

especially on the crown.


Thanks to the courtesy of our Publisher, Mr. Porter, we

are enabled to present to our readers an excellent print (from a

block in his possession) of the adult Bee-eater, shewing the

elongated central tail-feathers and the black band which crosses



