K.UNUL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 47. N:o 5. 75 



Melittophagus oreobates Sharpb. 



Rchw. IT, p. 303. 



I observed this species for the first time not far from Nairobi at a place where some 

 scattered trees remained in a formerly cultivated place, now overgrown with Solanum 

 and other bushes. The birds perched on dry branches in these trees and shot suddenly 

 up in the air like arrows to catch some insect afterwards returning to the tree again. At 

 other opportnnities I found them occupying clumps of bushes growing at, or in cultivated 

 fields. I observed it also in a sunlit valley in the great forest on the eastern slopes of Kenia. 



The known distribution of this little Bee-eater extends from Ruwenzori, Butumbi, 

 and Karisimbi (west of Tanganjika) in the west, to Kilimanjaro in the east. It belongs 

 thus evidently to the Central African forest-fauna. 



Melittophagus pusillus cyanostictus (Cab.). 



Rchw. II, p. 308. 



A male specimen was shot in the thornbush at Njoro 2l U, a female between Kutu 

 and Embu 25 /i 1911 in bushes in a mostly cultivated district. 



This race is said to extend at least periodically southwards as far as to Pangani but 

 may correctly be counted to the northeastern fauna. 



Melittophagus bulockoides (A. Sm.). 



Rchw. II, p. 311. 



At the Escarpment station in a dry tree one specimen was shot and that was the 

 only one seen during the whole expedition. Reichenow mentions Lake Naiwasha as 

 the northern limit in the east for this Bee-eater, and Escarpment is thus not very far 

 from the same. 



Merops apiaster L. 



Rchw. II, p. 320. 



Along the road through the bushsteppe from Blue Post to Punda Melia great num- 

 bers of Bee-eaters were seen 21 /i. Sometimes long rows of them were sitting on the tele- 

 graph-wire, and others were flying in the characteristic manner catching insects in the 

 air. A great swarm of these birds was also seen 23 /i at Kagio. 



Upupidae. 



Upupa africana Bchst. 



Rchw. II, p. 336. 



This bird was for the first time observed in a forest near Nairobi. In a shamba 

 with numerous large acacias a specimen was shot at Embu borna 25 /i. It was also seen 

 on the acacia-steppe south of Guaso Nyiri for instance at Lekiundu river where also a 

 specimen was secured. 



