114 
In its habits this Bee-eater agrees tolerably closely with its allies, but it does not seem to 
collect in such large flocks as do so many of the other species. Yon Heuglin says (l. c .) that 
in North-east Africa it is, “unlike its allies, a resident, and lives in pairs and small families, but is 
very lively and noisy. It does not rise very high in the air when flying. When the breeding- 
season is over, it does not wander about the country, and leaves the small district it inhabits 
most unwillingly. It affects low bushes, thickets overgrown with grass and creepers, cotton- 
fields, hedges, gardens, and maize-fields, wherever there is water near, and it does not occur in 
the large dry steppes. On the Gazelle river, I found it inhabiting the swamps, perching like 
a Kingfisher on the reeds and papyrus-plants, from whence it pursued insects, especially flies. 
Its note is a guttural flute-like whistle, resembling that of the other Bee-eaters, and at a distance 
not unlike the call-note of Eimosa melmmra. 
“ In November and December, I saw several pairs of this Bee-eater on the Asam river, near 
Adowa, which were flying round the deserted nests of JEL yphantornis larvata, hanging on acacias, 
and when I approached they struck down at me. I examined the nests, and in one found two 
pure white rosy-tinged eggs, measuring 11'" by 7"', which were fresh, and which I believe to be 
those of this species, though Konig-Wartliausen pronounced them to be those of Swifts, or else 
uncoloured Hy phantornis egg s.” 
I find no authentic account of the breeding-habits of this species on record, but think that 
in all probability it will he found to breed, like its allies, in holes in the ground, and to deposit 
pure white glossy eggs. It feeds on insects of various kinds, which it captures chiefly on the 
wing ; and Mr. Monteiro remarks that in the stomachs of specimens that he examined he found 
remains of small beetles. 
The specimens figured are those above described, and are in my own collection. 
In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 
E Mus. II. E. Dresser. 
a. Abyssinia ( Gerrard ). b, $ acl. Sagara, E. Africa, 21st August, 1880 (Dr. Bohm). c, juv. Kakoma, E. Africa, 
6th February, 1881 (Dr. Bohm). d. Denkera, December 1871. e. Denkera, January 1872 ( Blissett ). /. Cape 
Coast, 1871 (Ussher). g, h,i. Fantee (Higgins). k,l. Natal (Cutter), to, $ juv. Transvaal, 29th November, 
1873 (T. E. Buckley). 
E Mus. Brit. 
a. Gambia ( Whitely ). b, c. Congo (Sperling), d. Mombas (R. B. Sharpe), e, f. Mombas. g. Tette (Living- 
stone). h. Tette (Oates), i. Denkera (Blissett). k. Angola (Monteiro). 1. Transvaal (Ayres), m. Trans- 
vaal, 29th November, 1873 (T. E. Buckley), n. Anseba (Esler). o,$. Bejook, Abyssinia, 14th August, 
1868 (Jesse). 
E Mus. Paris. 
a. Senegal (type of Merops minutus , Vieillot). 
E Mus. Tioeeddale. 
a. Bejook, Abyssinia, 13th July, 1868 (Jesse), b. Natal, c. Zambesi (Muller). 
E Mus. a. E. Shelley. 
a , b. Fantee (Ussher). c, d. Accra, 29th February, 1872 (G. E. S.). e, f. Accra, 5th March, 1872 (T. E. Buck- 
ley). g. Accra, 7th March, 1872 (T. E. Buckley), h. Durban (Gordge). i, $. Bandana, Congo (Petit), 
k. Malimbe, Congo (Petit). I, juv. Transvaal, 28th November, 1873 (Kirk), to. Mombas (Wakefield), 
n, $. Pinetown, 22nd June, 1875 (Ayres), o, ° . Bustenburg, June 1877 (Lucas), p. Dar-es-Salaam (Kirk). 
q,r. Dar-es-Salaam (Buxton), s. Melinda (Kirk), t. Larno (Kirk), u. v, w, x } y, z. Makalala (Bradshaw). 
