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upper parts generally warm reddish brown with a slight olive tinge, the wings rather more of a 
dark reddish colour ; all the quills tipped with blackish brown, some of the primaries towards the 
tip externally washed with dull greenish blue, and the inner secondaries also washed with dull 
blue ; rump and upper tail-coverts tolerably bright blue ; tail dull brownish red, the central 
rectrices hut slightly elongated ; a broad streak through the eye deep black ; chin dull white ; 
throat pale blue, a few carmine feathers just showing through the blue ; crissum and under 
tail-coverts pale dull blue ; rest of the underparts and under surface of the wing dull reddish 
huff ; under surface of the tail dull blackish grey. 
This richly coloured bird is found only in the southern portions of Africa; its distribution 
there appears to be somewhat local, and, though stated to he numerous in some localities, it is 
still rare, rather than otherwise, in collections. 
On the western side of the continent of Africa it appears to range further north than it does 
on the eastern side ; for according to Professor Barboza du Bocage ( l . c.) it was obtained by 
Anchieta at Oaconda in Angola. Andersson, who records it from Damara Land, writes (B. of 
Damara Land, p. 62) : — “ I have only once observed this species, when a specimen occurred a few 
days’ journey south of the river Okavango ; its appearance on the wing was beautiful. I under- 
stand from the hunters that at certain seasons this Bee-eater is common on the Okavango, and 
breeds in the hanks of that river.” In the Cape Colony it is, according to Mr. Sharpe (l. <?.), of 
very rare occurrence. M. Jules Verreaux informed him that he obtained a stray specimen at 
Genadenhal, near Caledon; and one from Natal, which was formerly in Mr. Sharpe’s collection, is 
now in the British Museum. Mr. Ayres forwarded an example to Mr. Gurney, which was, he says 
(Ibis, 1874, p. 102), sent from the Pindais river, about 130 miles north of Potchefstroom, by 
Mr. Button. Captain Shelley (/. c.) records its occurrence on the ITmvuli river, in South-east 
Africa, where it was obtained by Mr. J. S. Jameson on the 14th September ; and, according to this 
latter gentleman, it “ appears in considerable numbers about this date. I am told they breed in 
some of the hanks of the rivers in Mashoona Land. In the Rustenburg district of the Transvaal 
they are not uncommon.” 
Dr. Kirk states (1. c .) that it was observed both on the Zambesi and the Shire, and on the 
former he found colonies of this Bee-eater tunnelling their nests in the river-hanks. Mr. Oates 
also obtained it in the Matabele Land, on the Daka river. I find nothing on record respecting 
the habits of this Bee-eater beyond the meagre details above cited ; and doubtless it does not 
therein differ from its near ally Merops nubicus , being gregarious, like it frequenting open places, 
river-hanks, &c., and burrowing its nest-hole in banks, depositing several glossy pinkish-white 
eggs. 
It is, comparatively speaking, so rare in collections that until quite lately I failed in obtaining 
an opportunity of examining a young bird. I am, however, now, thanks to Captain Shelley, 
enabled to give a description of the immature plumage of this Bee-eater ; but unfortunately the 
specimen in question arrived too late for me to have it figured. It is the more interesting because, 
contrary to what might have been expected, it has the throat pale blue, though one or two of the 
scarlet feathers of the adult dress are forcing their way through, thus showing that it really is 
referable to the present species. As this bird is certainly not rare in Southern Africa, it is to he 
