BEE-EATER. 439 



but it has occurred in Heligoland, and is a rare straggler to 

 Denmark, where some five or six examples have been 

 obtained. It has not yet been recognized in Norway ; and 

 in Sweden but a few times — a pair (of which the male was 

 killed) having been observed near Ystad in June 1816, a 

 single bird in Dalecarlia in August 1829, and six in May, 

 1858, near Wexio, where they stayed for three days. Yet it 

 has penetrated within the Arctic Circle, for, according to Herr 

 Meves (CEfv. K. Vet. Ak.Forh. 1868, p. 264), one was obtained 

 a little below Muonioniska, June 3d, 1865. Though it visits 

 North Germany pretty often it is reported to have bred but 

 few times in that country'^ ; and it is rare, if it ever occurs, 

 in northern Russia, but it reaches the neighbourhood of 

 Moscow, and may be traced thence to that of Orenburg. 

 Further eastward it does not seem to go beyond the Irtisk 

 in so high a latitude, though lower down it breeds commonly 

 in Turkestan, and extends to Cashmere, the Punjab and 

 Scinde, and it has been observed abundantly at Peshawur ; 

 but India is occupied by other species of the genus. Re- 

 turning westwards it appears in Beloochistan, Persia and 

 Arabia. The majority of the birds bred in Eastern Europe, 

 and perhaps those of Asiatic origin, pass through North- 

 eastern Africa twice a year, though some may breed in 

 Central Egypt. Drs. Hartlaub and Finsch do not include it 

 among the birds of East Africa ; but it reappears in Natal 

 and annually visits the Cape Colony, where it is also said to 

 breed.! It may be almost uninterruptedly traced, and it 

 occurs in the Canaries and Madeira, while in Mauritania it 

 is one of the commonest of summer-birds. It is well known, 

 and at times abundant, in all the Mediterranean islands and 

 countries bordering on that sea. The crossing of the Strait 



* Gloger says that a pair bred in 1792 near Ohlau in Silesia : Von Heuglin 

 mentions (Naumannia, 1851, iii. p. 65) a nest in June 1834 in Wiirttemberg, 

 and Jiickel (op. cit. 1856, p. 251) one some years before near Wiirzburg in 

 Bavaria. Palliardi states that Yon Woborzil in 1842 found the species breeding 

 near Prague. 



f Kolben describes a bird called at the Cape of Good Hope by a name which 

 his English translator renders "Gnat-snapper." Latham and, after him, Mon- 

 tagu with other writers take this for a Bee-eater, but it is evidently an Indicntur. 

 VOL. II. 3 L 



