88 
ALCEDIN^. MEROPS. 
of ear moderate, roundish. Feet remarkably small and 
feeble ; tibia bare below ; tarsus extremely short, roundish, 
with indistinct scales ; toes short, very slender, the anterior 
parallel and partially united, covered above with distinct 
scales ; claws curved, slender, much compressed, very acute. 
Plumage blended, but firm ; feathers oblong ; wings very 
broad, long, pointed ; the primaries much longer than the 
secondaries, the first extremely small, the second longest ; 
tail long, the two middle feathers generally much longer 
and pointed. 
The Bee-eaters, which are of a more elongated form than 
the Kingfishers, and for the most part gaudily coloured, be- 
long to the warmer regions of the Old Continent, and its 
islands. They feed upon insects, have a rapid and buoyant 
flight, and generally nestle in holes. One species visits this 
country at irregular intervals. 
40. Merops Apiaster. Yellow-throated Bee-eater. 
Middle tail-feathers about an inch longer than the rest. 
Upper part of head, hind neck, and part of the back, brownish- 
red, that colour fading into yellow on the rump and scapu- 
lars ; forehead pale blue ; loral space and a band behind the 
eye black ; throat rich yellow, that colour bounded by a band 
of black ; lower parts of light green ; bill black, feet reddish- 
brown, claws dusky. Young with the upper parts greenish- 
brown, a red band above the eyes, the throat dull yellow, 
without the black band, the tail-feathers of equal length. 
10-S Eilois 1 7 9 
i»xaie, 1U4, ..., 5^, ^4, ^5. 
Migrating from Africa to the warmer parts of Europe, it 
has several times been met with in the south of England, and 
once even in Galloway, as well as in Ireland. It is grega- 
rious, feeds on insects, which it pursues much in the manner 
of Swallows, nestles in holes, and lays from five to seven 
roundish white eggs. 
Common Bee-eater. 
Merops Apiaster, Linn, Syst. Nat. i. 182. — ^Merops Apias- 
ter, Temm. Man. d'Ornith, i. 420. — Merops Apiaster, Yellow- 
throated Bee-eater, Macgillivray, Brit. Birds, iii, 685. 
Coming now to the confines of the extensive group of birds 
which, in moving about in search of food, employ their wings 
