BIEDS OF EGFPT. 169 



band on the shoulders which is ultramarine ; tail greenish 

 blue, two centre feathers entirely dark green, the remaining 

 feathers much lighter towards their ends, outer feathers tipped 

 with black ; entire underparts greenish blue. Legs reddish 

 brown, beak black, irides brown. 



Entire length 12"5 inches; culmen 1"2 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 7"5 ; tarsus 0*8. 



Fig. Sharpe & Dresser, B. of Eur. part i. 



/ Fam. ]V[EROPID.ffl. 



147. Merops apiaster, Linn. Common Bee-eater. 



This species arrives in Egypt about the 10th of April, and 

 is then very plentifully distributed in flocks throughout the ■'^^^■^i<!^: 

 country, but is not quite so abundant as M. cegyptius. The 

 greater number do not remain in Egypt to breed, but pass 

 northwards in May, returning again about August. They 

 are seen in flocks throughout the year, and nest in colonies 

 in the sandbanks. 



Forehead white in front, blending into bright emerald- 

 green, which colour extends on each side, and forms a short 

 eyebrow ; a black band runs from the gape under the eye and 

 over the ear, under which comes a narrow faint streak of 

 green ; top of the head, nape, upper part of the back, and 

 part of the wing-coverts chestnut-brown, remainder of the 

 back, rump, and scapulars pale yellowish-brown ; primaries 

 bright green, tipped with dusky ; outer secondaries chestnut, 

 tipped with dusky, inner secondaries green ; tail green, the 



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