time, she lowered her bill into the glass, and made a show ot

washing ; and on the 24th and following days she really gave her

face and neck a respectable wetting. Nevertheless it was not until

April 3 that I saw her touch the water-glass at any time other

than when I pour in the water.


It was on March 24 that she, for the first time, attempted

to drink out of the glass. She did not know how to drink ; all

she managed to do was to lower her open mouth into the water,

keep it there for a few seconds, and then lift it up to a nearly

horizontal position, and swallow whatever moisture might remain

in her mouth. The more I watch this bird, the more I feel that,

in the wild state, the Bee-eater must scoop up water from the

surface while on the iving. Their fondness for river banks for

breeding in has often been noticed.


More than once the female has been seriously threatened

with fits, which so far I have happily averted by dosing her, by

hand, with fluid magnesia ; but it is a most difficult operation, as

swallowing any fluid seems to be a difficulty. Even when

feeding, they do not swallow without a great deal of fumbling and

dropping of food. Now, 011 the appearance of any bad symptoms,

I dip cockroaches into the magnesia and give them to her as wet

as possible, and for some time continue to dip them in water that

she may have the benefit of the moisture. It is worthy of

notice that the male, who at one time was most seriously ill, has

for a considerable while been in a fairly robust and vigorous

condition—and he obtains moisture in the form of grapes,

eating a limited quantity every day. Whereas the female, who

for so long would never drink, and persistently refuses grapes, is

not nearly so healthy a bird ; but she has improved, I think,

since she has taken more kindly to the water. I conclude that in

their wild state they never drink water, unless on the wing, and

“ wash” in the falling rain ; and I suppose they do not partake

of fruit. But they seem to need moisture, and probably, like

Swallows, as already suggested, drink (and perhaps bathe) as

they skim over the surface of the water. The shape of the bill

might seem to militate against this theory ; but, when I observe

how greatly they prefer scooping up their food to picking it up

at the point of the mandible, I feel that it is not at all an

improbable supposition.


For the most part they seem to be remarkably amiable

birds, although, when ruffled by the presence of strangers, or a

strange bird, or when they fancy they may be in danger, like

dogs, they erect the “ bristles ” along the back of the neck,



