ORDER PASSERES. 421 



having the two middle tail-feathers larger than the restin others. 

 This has given rise to three divisions of the genus. The 

 males are rather larger than the other sex, and more brilliant 

 in colours. 



Like the swallows, the bee-eaters eat, drink, bathe, &c. in 

 flying, and seem to perch, not, like most other birds, to search 

 for food, but merely for the purpose of rest. The winged 

 insects, and more especially bees, constitute the food of these 

 birds ; but although they are named in French guepiers, 

 or wasp-eaters, it seems probable that they do not attack these 

 insects, but confine themselves, if possible, to the honey-bee. 

 Our countryman Ray seems to conclude that they feed on 

 small fish, probably from their habit of flying over the 

 surface of water, and frequenting marsh lands. They nestle, 

 in general, like the kingfisher and river-swallows, in holes on 

 the banks of rivers ; and although they are said to make 

 these holes themselves, by means of the bill and claws, they 

 are sometimes expelled from them by the swallows. 



In their social habits the several species of bee-eaters seem 

 to differ, some living in large societies, some in single pairs, 

 and some in small families. M. Levaillant observes that in 

 the parts of Africa he visited, the square or forked-tailed 

 bee-eaters live in small families : while those which have the 

 two intermediate tail-feathers longer than the rest, live in 

 larger bands. 



It has been said, absurdly enough, that these birds can fly 

 backward. The fact is, that their rapid turns at times, while 

 on the wing, in pursuit of insects, which endeavour to evade 

 their destroyer by acute angles in flight, have induced this 

 delusion. 



They are, it seems, good eating, and are said to imbibe a 

 sweet flavour from the honey of the bees which they feed on. 

 The skin, however, is coriaceous. 



Enough may have been said already of the specific cha- 



