AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 259 



confinement in good order, and though they become 

 very tame and are interesting to watch, we consider 

 that here, at least, where we have abundant oppor- 

 tunities of observing the bird in a state of nature, 

 the keeping of Kingfishers costs more trouble than it 

 is worth, and from their savage character amongst 

 themselves, it is necessary to separate them as soon 

 as they are fully grown. 



110. BEE-EATER. 



Merops apiaster. 



This species, though an exceedingly abundant 

 summer migrant in many parts of Southern and 

 Central Europe, is a comparatively rare visitor to 

 this country; and my sole authority for its occur- 

 rence within our present ornithological limits is a 

 letter from Mr. A. G. Elliot of Stamford, dated 

 March 4th, 1876, who therein writes: — "A pair of 

 these scarce birds built a nest in the bank of a pond 

 close to Kelthorpe, a hamlet to Ketton, Rutland, in 

 the summer of 1868 ; the nest was composed of 

 bones, wings, &c. A man in the employ of C. O. 

 Eaton, Esq., shot one bird, which I stuffed for 

 Mr. Andrews of Ketton ; the young being able to 

 fly, got away with the other bird." This story so 

 much astonished me that I cross-examined Mr. Elliot 

 (who called here shortly after writing the above 

 letter) very closely ; he confirmed every word of the 

 statement most positively, and convinced me that a 

 Bee-eater had been shot at the spot mentioned, 

 and passed through his hands for preservation. 

 But as regards its nest, I must confess that I 



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