BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATEB. 77 



The Blue-cheeked Bee-eater is an inhabitant of Persia and Egypt, 

 being found especially on the borders of the Caspian Sea. It extends 

 along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea through Tripoli, Algeria, 

 and along the Atlantic coast as far as Senegal; while, eastward, it 

 ranges, according to Dr. Leith Adams, into the North-west of India, 

 where it is not uncommon. Deputy Surgeon-General Stewart informs 

 me that he procured a specimen at Kurrachee, January, 1862. "It 

 was in a flock of seven or eight, which I at first took for 31. philip- 

 pinus, which it resembles in size and on the wing, although it is not 

 I think so handsome a bird." 



As might be expected, it is occasionally found on the European 

 side of the Mediterranean, where, however, it occurs only accidentally. 

 It was introduced into the European list by Bonaparte, from two 

 specimens which were killed in the neighbourhood of Genes. It is 

 also included by Count Miihle among the birds of Greece, while 

 Dr. Leith Adams informs me that it is found (but rarely) in that 

 neutral territory, Malta. It is recorded ("Ibis," vol. i., p. 27,) by 

 the Bev. Canon Tristram as occurring in the valley of the Jordan in 

 Southern Palestine; and Dr. Heuglin says it appears in large flocks 

 on the Somali coast of the Bed Sea.— (Ibid, vol. i., p. 340.) 



Salvadori (Fauna d'ltalia) says: — "This Bee-eater is accidental in 

 Italy. The first individuals were observed in Liguria. Durazzo says 

 that in a flock of Bee-eaters into which he fired in 1834, two indi- 

 viduals, male and female, fell of this rare Italian species. The first 

 I possess, and the other belongs to the Marquis Costa de Chamberry. 

 These individuals have been described and figured in the 'Fauna 

 Italica' by the Prince of Canino. Lo Schembri records a Maltese 

 specimen taken in 1840. Finally, Malherbe says that it appears 

 accidentally in Sicily, having seen one taken in the neighbourhood 

 of Palermo, which however is doubted by Benoit and Doderlein. It 

 is an inhabitant of Africa and Asia." 



In its habits the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater resembles the better-known 

 species in our own fauna, Merops apiaster. 



The male and female have the forehead marked by a white band; 

 above the eye is a band of turquoise blue, with a similar one below, 

 which is, however, slightly mingled with white feathers; from the 

 angle of the beak straight through the eye is a band of dark green. 

 All the upper parts of the body green, more vivid on the rump, 

 and from thence shading ofi" along the long tail feathers into green 

 russet, while the tips are black. The wing primaries dark green, 

 with the most internal part of the broad inner web dusky brown. 



