54 



PICARIAN BIRDS. 



nest situate at the end of a long tunnel excavated by the birds themselves, although 

 the two species of Nyctiornis are stated to nest in trees. 

 SwaUow-TaUed Distinguished by the absence of a tuft on the breast and the 



Bee-Eaters, forked swallow-liko tail, in which the central feathers lack the 

 elongation characterising the other members of the family, the African swallow- 

 tailed bee-eaters (Dichrocerciis) are represented by two species, one of which 

 (D. furcatiis) comes from the western side of the continent, while the other 

 (D. hirundineus) is a southern form. The latter is distinguished by having the 

 forehead and eyebrow of the same green hue as the rest of the head, instead of 

 being blue ; while the general colour of the upper-parts is golden-green ; the wings 

 being green, and their primary quills light chestnut with black tips, forming 

 a terminal band to the wing-feathers ; the upper tail-coverts and the central tail- 

 feathers are blue, the remainder golden-olive tipped with white, before which is 

 a shade of black ; a black streak runs along the sides of the head ; the cheeks and 

 throat are orange-yellow, followed by a black band; the breast is green; the 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts blue ; the bill black ; the feet dusky grey ; and 

 the iris crimson. The whole length is 8'5 ; that of the wing being 395 ; and that 

 of the tail 40 inches. The sexes are alike in colour. This bee-eater inhabits the 

 Cape Colony and South Africa generally, extending on the east as far north as 

 the Zanzibar region, and on the west to Damaraland and Benguela. In habits 

 this species is like the other bee-eaters, hawking for food in the open, and 

 capturing insects in full flight. It seems, however, to fly at a lesser altitude 

 than some of its larger relations, and nests in sandy banks, making a tunnel of 

 about three feet in length, the entrance to the tunnel being very small, not 

 more than two inches wide, but opening out into a slightly wider chamber at 

 the end. 

 Square-Tailed The square-tailed bee-eaters {Melittopliagws) are all of small size, 



Bee-Eaters, measuring only from 6 to 9 inches in length, and mostly confined to 

 Africa, although two species range into India and the countries east of the Bay of 

 Bengal as far as Java. Thirteen in number, these bee-eaters are easily recognised 

 by their squared tails ; their general coloration being of the peculiar green hue 

 common to the group, although with considerable contrasts of blue and yellow, 

 some also having a black band on the throat. While the African species frequents 

 water-courses, the little bee-eater (ilf. 'pusillus) prefers reedy marshes and swamps, 

 where it perches on low bushes and trees. On the other hand, the white-fronted 

 species {M. albifrons) selects higher trees in the neighbourhood of water. A well- 

 known member of the genus is the chestnut-headed bee-eater (M. swinhoei), in 

 which the lower back and upper tail-coverts are silvery blue ; the primary quills 

 having their inner surface rufous with a blue bar at the end ; while the tail is 

 greenish blue ; the head and mantle chestnut ; the throat yellow, with a black 

 band inferiorly ; the under surface of the body emerald-green ; the breast and 

 flanks marked with yellow, and the abdomen and under tail-coverts blue. This 

 pretty species is found in the Indian Peninsula and Ceylon, extending through the 

 Burmese countries to Siam and Cochin China, and southwards to the Malay Peninsula. 

 The eggs, like those of the rest of the family, are pure white, and four or six in 

 number, the holes in which they are laid being tunnelled in sandy soil by the 



