BEE-EATER. 203 



Don and Wolga, in the banks of wliicli they bnilcl their 

 nests, perforating holes to the depth of half a foot or more 

 for that pnrpose. They are said to be gregarious, as well in 

 the breeding season as in their migrations, excavating the 

 clayey banks so near to each other as to appear like a honey- 

 comb. In autumn they migrate in large flocks to the more 

 southern latitudes."" These birds line their nestinQ--holcs 

 with soft moss, and lay from five to seven eggs, which are 

 smooth, white, and shining, measuring about one inch in 

 length by ten lines and a half in breadth. To follow the 

 Bee-eater back to Africa by a different route, I may mention 

 that it visits the countries betAvecn the Black and the Cas- 

 pian seas : the Zoological Society have received specimens 

 from Messrs. Dickson and Ross, two zealous collectors at 

 Erzerum, who state that these birds frequent that country 

 from JSlay till September ; it is found also in Turkey, in 

 Greece, and in Egypt. The Bee-eater takes its food Avhile on 

 the wing, like the Swallows, living chiefly on Avinged insects, 

 and probably derives its name from a partiality to those of 

 the Hymenopterous order. A traveller speaking of the 

 habits of the Bee-eater in Asia Minor, says,* " They utter a 

 rich warbling chirp when on the wing ; they are often ob- 

 served among the turpentine firs, from which bees collect 

 much honey, and are sometimes attracted to the valleys by 

 the numerous apiaries of the peasantry." Montagu says that 

 " In Egypt it is called Mdinoorghi, — bees' enemy, and that 

 the bird itself is eaten as food. At the Cape of Good Hope 

 it is called Gnat-snapper, and serves as a guide to the Hot- 

 tentots by directing them to the honey Avhich the bees store 

 in the clefts of the rocks." It has often been asked hoAv it is 

 that many of our small birds manage to swallow live bees, 

 and even wasps, without appearing to suffer from their power- 

 ful stings. I believe that the bird pinches the insect, passing 

 * Annals of Nat. Hist. November, 1839. 



