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with it on the Cunene river. Andersson states (B. of Damara Land, p. 63) that it was <c the 
commonest species of Bee-eater in Damara Land, and it is also found in Great Namaqua Land 
and in the Lake country : it chiefly visits Damara Land during the wet season, hut a few may he 
found throughout the year.” 
Mr. Ortlepp ( teste Layard, Ihis, 1869, p. 72) observed this Bee-eater in midwinter hawking 
over the Orange river. Mr. Ayres, who obtained this bird in the Transvaal, says (Ibis, 1878, 
p. 285) : — 1 “ I shot a pair in my garden amongst the fruit-trees ; they appeared to sit stationary 
on a bough, and every now and then to dart upon any insect flying past that took their fancy. 
Their stomachs were well-filled with bluebottles. These are the first birds of the kind I have 
seen in this part of the country.” 
The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is said to resemble Merops apiaster in habits ; but Mr. Ortlepp 
says that it does not fly so high when in search of food. 
Yon Heuglin, speaking of its habits as observed by him in North-east Africa, says (l. c .) : — 
“ I found this Bee-eater living during and after the rainy season isolated or in pairs iu the forest, 
less frequently amongst bushes. It perches on the highest dry branches of the lofty trees, from 
whence it takes flight after insects. In April only I saw small flocks of this species, probably 
on passage ; and in August I met with young and old birds together, but they soon separated. 
According to Antinori it appears on the Djur in March, and remains till early in April (but 
I shot it there in the end of April), and it then disappears altogether, being still in. breeding- 
plumage, which it soon loses. It is extremely fond of honey, and its bill is frequently plastered 
with it. It moults in April. Its note resembles that of its allies.” 
This Bee-eater, like its congeners, deposits its white eggs in a hole tunnelled in a bank. The 
only account I find respecting its breeding-habits is that given by Mr. Andersson (B. of Damara 
Land, p. 63), who says : — “ I took a nest of this bird on the Omaruru river, on the 31st October. 
It was situated in a soft sandy bank, some three feet deep horizontally : the entrance was not 
above two fingers wide ; but the hole was slightly enlarged where the nest was found. The nest, 
which had no lining, contained three beautifully white eggs.” 
Levaillant says (l. c.) that he met with the present species on the banks of the Orange river, 
and always in localities near water. They were met with by him in isolated pairs ; but when the 
young were fledged they remained with their parents, and roamed about in small flocks of seven 
or eight individuals. They deposit six or seven eggs of a bluish-white colour, and incubation 
lasts eighteen days. When leaving, all the families in a district collect and depart together. The 
cry of this Bee-eater, he says, may be well expressed by the syllable vri repeated five or six times 
in succession; and its name taiva, which in the Namaqua language means gall, has been given 
on account of its greenish-yellow colour, which closely resembles the colour of that substance. 
Levaillant further says that this Bee-eater nests also in clefts of rocks and sometimes in 
holes in trees, a statement that has not been confirmed by any other observer. 
This species was undoubtedly first described by Lichtenstein in 1793, as follows (Oat. rer. nat. 
rariss. p. 21) : — “ Merops hirundineus, nobis. Merops philippino, Linn. spec. 5. similis, cauda 
forficata, jugulo cseruleo. Cf. Buffon, PI. Enl. n. 57. Probabiliter hue usque ignotus mas 
philippini .” 
The specimen figured and described is in my own collection. 
