88 ALCEDIN^. MEROPS. 



of ear moderate, roundish. Feet remarkably small and 

 feeble ; tibia bare below ; tarsus extremely short, roundish, 

 with indistinct scales ; toes short, very slender, the anterior 

 parallel and partially united, covered above with distinct 

 scales ; claws curved, slender, much compressed, very acute. 

 Plumage blended, but firm ; feathers oblong ; wings very 

 broad, long, pointed ; the primaries much longer than the 

 secondaries, the first extremely small, the second longest ; 

 tail long, the two middle feathers generally much longer 

 and pointed. 



The Bee-eaters, which are of a more elongated form than 

 the Kingfishers, and for the most part gaudily coloured, be- 

 long to the warmer regions of the Old Continent, and its 

 islands. They feed upon insects, have a rapid and buoyant 

 flight, and generally nestle in holes. One species visits this 

 country at irregular intervals. 



40. MEROPS APIASTER. YELLOW-THROATED BEE-EATER. 



Middle tail-feathers about an inch longer than the rest. 

 Upper part of head, hind neck, and part of the back, brownish- 

 red, that colour fading into yellow on the rump and scapu- 

 lars ; forehead pale blue ; loral space and a band behind the 

 eye black ; throat rich yellow, that colour bounded by a band 

 of black ; lower parts of light green ; bill black, feet reddish- 

 brown, claws dusky. Young with the upper parts greenish- 

 brown, a red band above the eyes, the throat dull yellow, 

 without the black band, the tail-feathers of equal length. 

 ' Male, lOf, ..., 5%, 1^, , &, ^. 



Migrating from Africa to the warmer parts of Europe, it 

 has several times been met with in the south of England, and 

 once even in Galloway, as well as in Ireland. It is grega- 

 rious, feeds on insects, which it pursues much in the manner 

 of Swallows, nestles in holes, and lays from five to seven 

 roundish white eggs. 



Common Bee-eater. 



Merops Apiaster, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 182. Merops Apias- 

 ter, Temm. Man. d'Omith, i. 420. Merops Apiaster, Yellow- 

 throated Bee-eater, Macgillivray, Brit. Birds, iii. 685. 



Coming now to the confines of the extensive group of birds 

 which, in moving about in search of food, employ their wings 



