320 ZOOLOGY. 



yellowish olive, bill black externally, inside of mouth 

 yellowish olive like the feet. 



This bird is very much rarer than the last on the 

 highlands. I only saw it twice, and failed to procure a 

 specimen. It abounded in the subtropical region of the 

 Anseba. 



53. Eurystomus afer (Latk). 



Coracias afra, Lath. Ind. Om. p. 172. 

 Eurystomus orientalis, Eiipp. Syst. Uebers. No. 82. 

 E'U.rystomm afer, Heugl. Joum. f. Om. 1868, p. 322, et Om. N. 0. 

 Afr. No. 13,1. 



Iris olivaceous, legs pale yellowish olive, bOl deep 

 yeUow. A noisy bird with a swift hawk-like flight, 

 with all the usual ha,bits of a Eoller, but keeping rather 

 pore to high trees than the two other species, and 

 perhaps rather more giyen to " rolling " from side to 

 side when flying. It often hawks locusts and other 

 i^nsects in the air. 



E. afer was only met with in the subtropical region of 

 the Upper Lebka a,nd Anseba valleys. It there abounded, 

 in company with the other two Rollers. 



Family MEEOPIDiSE. 



54. Merops viridissimus, Swains. 



Swainsou, B. of W. Aft:., ii. p. 82. — Lefebvre, p. 83. 

 M. viridis, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. No. 97. 



Common near the coast, and especially in the man- 

 groves on the shores of Annesley Bay. 



This bird, like the closely allied M. viridis of India, 

 has the habit of collecting in considerable numbers and 

 of settling on the ground occa,sionally. 



