BEE-EATEE. 



MEROPS API ASTER, Linn. 



Merops apiaster, Linn. S. N. i. p. 182 (1766) ; Naum. v. 

 p. 462 ; Macg. iii. p. 685 ; Heivitson, i. p. 254 ; Yarr. 

 ed. 4<, iii. p. 435 ; Dresser, v. p. 155. 



Guepier vulgaire, French ; Europdische Bienenfresser , Ger- 

 man; Abejaruco, Spanish. 



The Bee-eater is a somewhat rare straggler to our 

 islands from the south. In many parts of S. Europe 

 it is exceedingly common as a summer visitor ; and 

 Colonel Irby, in his work on the ' Ornithology of the 

 Straits of Gibraltar,' has given some very interesting 

 details of the regularity of its annual transit from Africa 

 to Europe. It abounds in Andalucia and most parts of 

 Spain south of the great central sierras in summer, and 

 beeds in holes excavated by itself in almost every bank 

 soft enough to be bored into, as well as occasionally in 

 open, uneven, sandy w^astes, in a round chamber at the 

 end of a tunnel of several feet in length. These birds 

 lay from four to six eggs, of a glossy pure white. The 

 food of this species consists entirely of flying insects, 

 and it is very destructive to the honey-bee. 



