BEEP-EATER. 335 



fond of the larvae of insects inclosed under the skin of the backs of 

 oxen, &c. alighting in troops of a dozen or more, and picking them 

 out with the bill, in the same manner as the Magpie does the ticks 

 from the sheep; this is effected by the strength of it, as both 

 mandibles incline to each other at the point, and the bird is enabled 

 to extract the delicious morsel * without much difficulty, scarcely to 

 be eradicated by the common efforts of human industry, and the 

 beasts seem to submit to this treatment with satisfaction, for were it 

 not for this relief, multitudes of oxen, antelopes, and others, would 

 perish, from the numbers of larvae in their hides, which not only 

 irritate them beyond measure, but draw away the whole of their 

 nourishment. Independent of the above mode of obtaining food, 

 the Beef-eater will feed on various other insects ; has a sharp kind of 

 cry, but by no means approaching to what may be termed a song. 



2 —STRIPED BEEF-EATER. 



SIZE of the former. Bill, in shape and colour, the same; 

 plumage reddish pale ash-colour, striped with blue-grey ; the tail 

 cuneiform, consisting of twelve feathers ; the quills, when closed, 

 reach to about the base ; from the bottom of the greater quills, to 

 three-fourths of the length, red brown ; legs stout, dusky. 



A specimen of this is in the Museum of Mr. Bullock, and seems 

 to belong to this Genus ; and, if not the common one in any of its 

 progressive stages to perfection, is probably a distinct species. 



* Oestrus Bovis, and others. — See Valisn. Op. — Reaum. et De Geer Insectes. — Wern. 

 Verm.intest. — and, above all, a most excellent Essay, with figures, on the Genus Oestrus, 

 by Mr. Clark, in the third volume of Linn. Transactions. 



