ME HOPS ORNATUS (Lath.) 



AUSTRALIAN BEE-EATER. 



TlWWi Merops Omatus is a summer visitant to the southern portion of Australia, returning, on the 

 *■ approach of winter to the northern part. 



It is found chiefly in the interior, among the open forests, perching on the higher branches, 

 whence it sallies forth to capture bees and other insects. 



The eggs, four or five in number, are deposited in a small chamber excavated at the end of a 

 passage about a yard in length, which is made in the bank of a river or stream. They are fleshy-white 

 in colour, and are five-sixths of an inch long by two-thirds of an inch broad. 



There is no difference in the colouring of the sexes. 



The forehead, a line over the eye, back, wing-coverts, and abdomen, are brownish-green; a line 

 through the eye, and the ear-coverts, black, beneath that a stripe of light blue ; crown of the head, 

 orange-brown ; wing-feathers, brown, margined with light green ; throat, orange, beneath it a patch of 

 black ; tail feathers, black, margined with light blue ; irides, light brown ; bill, legs, and feet, black. 



Habitats : All parts of Australia. 



