THE SHELDRAKE — THE BEE-EATER. 83 



rows, when it can find no more congenial locality. The Stock- 

 dove (Columba cenas) is frequently found in similar situations, 

 placing its rude platform of sticks within the burrow ; and the 

 common Sheldrake {Tadorna Yulpanser) possesses the same 

 habit. 



The nest of the last-mentioned bird is always placed close to 

 the water, so that the young may be fed with marine crustag 

 The female is accustomed to cover the eggs with down pluc 

 from her own breast. Eabbit warrens upon sea-edged cliffs are 

 favorite resorts of the Sheldrake. In default, however, of rabbit 

 burrows, the Sheldrake is well content with any moderately deep 

 holes in the shore, and therein lays her enormous deposit of eggs, 

 which are from ten to fifteen in number, and of a white color. 

 Burrows thus tenanted may be found in many situations, espe- 

 cially on the banks of estuaries, localities which are always shel- 

 tered, and almost always produce an abundant supply of food for 

 the bird and its young brood. 



There is a bird which sometimes visits our island, and which 

 is more lovely in color than the kingfisher, and far more elegant 

 in shape. This is the Bee-eater {Merops apiaster), so common in 

 the warmer parts of the Old World. Not only is it rich in color 

 and delicately shaped, but it is most graceful in its movements, 

 sweeping through the air with the ease and rapidity of the swift, 

 and much resembling that bird in the character of its flight. 



It is not a large bird, being about the size of the common 

 thrush, and formed in a more slender manner. Its feathers are 

 colored in the most exquisite manner, green, azure, yellow, or- 

 ange, and*chocolate-brown, being mixed in a singularly harmo- 

 nious manner, and relieved by a little white on the forehead, and 

 a narrow band of deep blue-black under the throat. When the 

 sunbeams fall on these gorgeously decorated feathers, the eflcct is 

 magnificent in the extreme, for there is not only the light azure 

 hue which gives to our kingfisher so brilliant an aspect, as it 

 darts along in its meteor-like flight, but with every movement 

 of the bird the colors change like those of " shot" silk. 



The peculiarly graceful flight of these birds is calculated to 

 display their lovely colors to the best advantage, and as they 

 are partially gregarious in their habits, and love to assemble in 

 little flocks, they afford a magnificent spectacle as they sweep 

 through the air in devious flight, crossing and recrossing each 



