21 



BEE-EATER. 



YELLOW-THROATED BEE-EATEE. COMMON BEE-EATEE. 



GXAT-SXAPPEE. 



3Ierop$ apiaster, LlNNVEUS. PENXANT. 



chrytocephalut, LATHAM. 



" Galilaus, HASSELQUIST. 



A bird that eateth bees. Apiaster. Apis A bee. 



THE splendid-plumbed Bee-eater holds some affinity, as 

 will appear, to the Swallows in its flight, manner of taking 

 its food, nidification, the shortness of its legs, and the appear- 

 ance of its eggs. In Italy it is esteemed good eating, and 

 is sold in the markets accordingly. Perhaps the taste may 

 have descended from Heliogabalus; for, if I remember right, 

 even the gay exterior of birds was called into requisition to 

 give zest to the 'recherche' character of his 'gourmanderie,' 

 so to gallicize a word for the occasion. 



In Asia Minor and the adjacent countries to the north, 

 and in Xorth Africa, these birds are extremely abundant, and 

 may often be seen flying about in thousands. In various 

 parts of Europe they are also plentiful, in small flocks of 

 twenty or thirty, the more so towards the East in Turkey 

 and Greece; in Spain ako, from its proximity to Africa; 

 Portugal, Italy, Crete, the Archipelago, Malta, Sardinia, and 

 Sicily; as also, though in fewer numbers, in France, Switzerland, 

 and Germany; likewise in Madeira. Two were killed in Sweden, 

 a male and w female, in 1S16. 



In Yorkshire one, described in the paper as a 'Beef-eater,' 

 was obtained near Sheffield, about the year LS19; in Surrey, 

 one near Godalming; in Kent, one at Kingsgate, in the Isle 

 of Thiinet, in May, 1S27; in Hampshire, one at Christchurch, 



