322 ON SAFARI 



only showing blue on the back. As often seen on the dry 

 veld as by riversides. 



Pied Kingfisher — Cerylc rudis. A lai'ge and conspicuous bird, 

 mottled black and white, with an occipital tuft and a dark 

 bar through eye. Observed on Athi, Molo and other 

 rivers, sometimes perched on a dead reed, at others 

 hovering, kestrel-like, over the water. 



Giant Kingfisher — C. mcLvima. A handsome black species 

 banded with rows of white spots and, in the male, a warm 

 ruddy patch on the breast. Larger than the last. Ob- 

 served at Njemps, but rare. More common on Victoria 

 Nyanza. 



Malachite Kingfisher — Corythornis cyanostigma. Small, bright 

 azure. Common everywhere. 



ROLLEES 



Roller, or Blue Jay — Coracias garrulus. A migrant, observed 

 in winter frequenting the higher land. 



Lilac-breasted Roller — G. caudatus. These long-tailed Rollers 

 were common in the lower country at Simba, Makindu, 

 etc., in March. Resident, Figured at p. 248. 



Bee-eaters 



Bee-eaters abound ; we noticed the following, besides others 



that we did not know — 



Mero2os persicus — Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. A large species, 

 bright green ; and — 



M. apiaster — the European species. Curiously, this bird breeds 

 both in Spain in our spring, and again in South Africa in 

 our autumn. Whether this applies to individual birds 

 cannot, of course, be known. The notes of these two 

 species appear to be identical. 



M. alMcolHs (possibly). ) j Jackson ) 



Melittophagus allifrons. / 



Hoopoes ( Ujnqxi) 



The European species {U. epops) is rare, but was observed 

 during winter on the higher ground, and once (exceptionally) 



