267 



THE BEE-EATER 



MEROPS APIASTER. 



Forehead white, passing into bluish green ; npper plumage chestnut ; throat 

 golden yellow, bounded by a blaek line ; wings variegated with blue, brown, 

 and green; tail greenish blue. Length eleven inches. Eggs glossy white. 



Ihts bird, wliicli in brilliancy of plumage vies with the 

 Humming-birds, possesses little claim to be ranked among 

 soberly clad British birds. Stray parties are indeed met 

 with from time to time, but at distant intervals. In the 

 islands of the Mediterranean, and in the southern countries 

 of Europe, they are common summer visitors, and in Asia 

 Minor and the south of Russia they are yet more frequent. 

 They are gregarious in habits, having been observed, both 

 in Europe, their summer, and in Africa, their winter resi- 

 dence, to perch together on the branches of trees in small 

 flocks. They also build their nests near each other. These 

 are excavations in the banks of rivers, variously stated 

 to be extended to the depth of from six inches to as 

 many feet. Their flight is graceful and light, resembling 

 that of the Swallows. Their food consists of winged 

 insects, especially bees and wasps, which they not only 

 catch when they are wandering at large through the air, 

 but watch for near their nests. The inhabitants of Candia 

 and Cyprus are said to catch them by the help of a light 

 silk line, to which is attached by a fish-hook a wild bee. 

 The latter in its endeavour to escape soars into the air, 

 and the Bee-eater seizing it becomes the prey of the 

 aiirial fisherman. 



