MEROPS TIRIDIS. 311 



that it arrives at Barrackpore in October. Westward of India it extends through Beluchistan and Persia to 

 Northern Africa, and there is not uncommonly found in Egypt, Nubia, and Abyssinia. 



Habits. — This is one of the most charmingly fearless little birds in Ceylon ; unlike the last it is very 

 terrestrial in its habits, perching all day on some little bush or low stick near the ground, and sallying out 

 like a Flycatcher after its food, when it at once returns to its perch or sweeps off to another close by. It is 

 generally found in pairs, or three or four in scattered company, which frequent roadsides and dry open ground 

 of all description where they can find objects to take up their watch upon. About Trincomalie, and, in fact, 

 anywhere on the sea-coast of the eastern side of the island, it is very fond of the sandy scrubby wastes lining 

 the sea-beach, and is so tame that it may be almost knocked down with a stick, so near an approach will it allow 

 before taking wing. In the interior a favourite locality with it is the dried-up paddy-fields in the neighbourhood 

 of the village tanks. It roosts in little colonies, retiring early to rest and congregating in close company ; 

 it resorts usually to the same tree, round which much noisy preparation goes on — flying up and wheeling 

 round, alighting on a neighbouring tree-top and then returning, after which the little flock will start out 

 again from the branches and make another little detour, keeping up all the while a continuous clamour. Its 

 note is a sweet little chirrup, unlike the loud voice of the last species. It is either uttered when the bird is 

 perched or when it is sailing along in pursuit of an insect, which it seizes with an audible snap of its bill. 

 It usually preys on small flies or minute Coleoptera, avoiding large dragonflies and other giants of the insect 

 kingdom, upon which the last species feasts and beats to death in the manner aforementioned. Jerdon says 

 that he has seen one occasionally pick an insect off a branch or a stalk of grain or grass ; and Blyth has seen 

 them assembled round a small tank seizing objects from the surface of the water, after the manner of a 

 Kingfisher. I have also observed them about rushy jheels and small tanks, but they are not particularly partial 

 to the vicinity of water. 



Nidification. — This Bee-eater breeds in the sand hills at Hambantota and other similar localities in Ceylon. 

 I found the young fledged, on the south-east coast, in June, but did not succeed in finding any nests. The 

 nesting-time is in April and May. Mr. Hume says that it prefers to breed in sandy banks or cliffs, but that 

 he has found the nest in a mud wall, and once in a perfectly level barren plain. It cuts the hole, after the 

 manner of the last species, with its bill, scraping away the loose earth with its little feet, and sometimes 

 excavates to a depth of 5 feet, the passage increasing in width and often, according to Mr. Adam, declining 

 at an angle of 30° from the entrance to the egg-cavity, which is about 3^ inches in width. No nesting- 

 materials are used, the eggs, which vary from three or four (the usual number) to seven, being laid on the bare 

 ground. The eggs are nearly spherical in shape, milky white, and " brilliantly glossy." The average size of 

 a large series is 078 by 0'7inch. 



