181 



in holes of trees, walls, and ruins ; they lay about the 14th of 

 April, from four to six shining white eggs. 



Back, scapulars, and tertials cinnamon-brown ; inner web of end of 

 primaries blackish brown. Neck, throat, breast, and underparts bluish ; 

 rest green or purplish green. Length 13 inches. 



MEPOPIDJE. 



162. Merops apiaster, Linnaeus. The Bee-eater. 



Moorish. El Leeamoon. Spanish. Abejaruco. 



" The Bee-eater is seen on passage near Tangier in great 

 flights, which attract notice from their cry. They arrive and 

 cross over to Europe during March and April, returning in 

 August, many remaining to breed. They nest in May, the eggs 

 varying in shape, being some oval, some oblong." Favier. 



This bird did not appear to me to be quite so common in 

 Morocco at the end of April as on the Spanish side of the 

 Straits, where, during April, May, June, and July, it is one 

 of the most conspicuous birds in the country; at that season 

 Andalucia without Bee-eaters \vould be like London without 

 Sparrows. Everywhere they are to be seen ; and their single 

 note, teerrp, heard continually repeated, magnifies their number 

 in imagination. Occasionally they venture into the centre of 

 towns when on passage, hovering round the orange-trees and 

 flowers in some patio or garden. Crossing the Straits for the 

 most part in the early part of the day, flight follows flight for 

 hours in successiori, always exactly in the same direction, due 

 north. When passing at Gibraltar they sometimes skim low 

 down to settle for a moment on a bush or a tree, but generally 

 go straight on, often almost out of sight ; but their cry always 

 betrays their presence in the air. 



My dates of their first arrival noticed are : the 7th of April, 

 1868; 4th of April, 1869; 1st of April, 1870; 29th of March, 



