MEROPID^. 63 



80. DicrocercUS himndinaceilS (Vieill.). Swallow-tailed Bee- 

 eater. 



Merops hirundinaceus, Swainson's Birds of W. Africa, vol. ii. pi. 10. 

 Melittophagus hirundineus, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Damar.,Contr. 



Orn. 1852, p. 154. 

 Merops hirundinaceus, Layard's Cat. No. 117. 



Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 409. 



Dicrocercus hirundinaceus, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 1221. 

 Merops hirundineus, Finsch & Hartlaub's Vogel Ost-Afrika's, p. 193. 

 Merops hirundinaceus, Sharpe's Cat. No. 28. 



This is the commonest species of Bee-eater in Damara 

 Land, and it is also found in Great Namaqua Land and 

 in the Lake-country: it chiefly visits Damara Land 

 during the wet season ; but a few may be found through- 

 out the year. 



I took a nest of this Bee-eater on the Omaruru Kiver 

 on 31st October. It was situated in a soft sandy bank, 

 some three feet deep horizontally : the entrance was not 

 above two fingers wide ; but the hole was slightly en- 

 larged where the nest was found. The nest, which had 

 no lining, contained three beautifully white eggs. 



The iris in this species is carmine-red, the bill black, 

 the tarsi and toes brownish. 



Measurements of a male and a female : 



Male. Female. 



in. lin. in. lin. 



Entire length 8 10 85 



Length of folded wing ..39 39 



tarsus ....05 04 



middle toe ...05 05 



tail 42 41 



bill 16 13 



