BEE-EATER, 



MEEOPS APIASTER, Lin. 



This is one of the most elegant of the European 

 birds, and next to the Roller and Kingfisher, may 

 be considered as the most brilliant in point of 

 colour. It is a native of the warmer parts of 

 Europe, being found particularly among the Islands 

 of the Grecian Archipelago, and many parts both 

 of Asia and Africa. There is 110 doubt that it is 

 also an occasional visitant in this country, several 

 specimens having been killed at different periods ; 

 but in the north of Europe it is seldom seen. It 

 breeds in numbers on the banks of the rivers Don 

 and Volga, and along the southern borders of 

 Russia, making long horizontal holes for that pur- 

 pose. The nest is made of moss and other soft 

 materials ; the eggs are of a pure white colour, 

 about an inch in length, and from five to seven in 

 number. 



BITTERN, AMERICAN. 



AEDEA LENTIGINOSA, Mont. 



This species appears to be generally distributed 

 in North America. At certain periods of the year, 

 Dr. Richardson says it is a common bird in the 

 marshes and willow thickets of the interior of the 

 fur country, arid in the summer it is frequently seen 



