IO6 BRITISH BIRDS. 



A rare and irregular migrational visitor to the British 

 Isles. A considerable number of occurrences are on 

 record. 



Family BZeropidae. 



GENUS LXX. MEROPS, Linnaeus (1766). 

 143. Merops apiaster, Linn. BEE-EATER. 

 Hab. South Europe, North Africa and S.W. Asia. 

 Migrating to South Africa in winter. 



An irregular visitor, on migration, to southern half of 

 England ; has been recorded from Scotland on four 

 occasions, while eight examples have been shot in 

 Ireland, two of them from small flocks. 



Family TTpupidae. 



GENUS LXXI. UPUPA, Linnxus (1766). 

 Bill long, slender, slightly decurved, laterally compressed 

 and tapering to a slender point. Feathers of head long, 

 forming an erectile crest. Tail even, moderately long. 

 Tibia feathered ; tarsus moderate, scutellated ; three toes 

 in front, one behind. 



144. Upupa epops, Linn. HOOPOE. 



Hab Palaearctic region, excepting extreme north. In 

 winter southward nearly to Equator. 



Male : general tint light reddish-buff, the graceful crest 

 being tipped with black, the back banded with black and 

 white, and the wings and tail black barred with white \ 

 bill black, paler at base. Length 975. Female similar. 



An almost annual visitor in small numbers to south of 

 England in spring ; sometimes in autumn ; has bred at 

 long intervals in every county from Kent to Devon. Also 



