The nest of the Bee-eater is constructed towards the end of May, the locality selected being generally the sandy or clayey bank of some river, in which it excavates a round hole, from two inches to two inches and a half in diameter, apparently by means of its beak and claws, or perhaps with its claws only; from this external opening the hole extends into the bank in a slightly-inclined direction to a distance of from four to six feet, and terminates in a capacious chamber eight or ten inches long, by four to six inches broad, and three or four inches in height. It is upon the floor of this chamber that about the month of June the female lays her eggs, which are four or six in number. It is asserted by some writers that in this chamber a nest is constructed with stems of heather and lined with moss; upon this subject we can only say that in none of the holes examined by us was there the slightest trace of any nest-building materials, but in lieu thereof we always found large quantities of the elytra of beetles and of the wings of bees and other insects heaped together as if to form a kind of cushion, so that the young were not quite upon the bare ground. Whether the male assists the female in the process of incubation is as yet undetermined; but we can vouch for it that both parents most assiduously wait upon and provide food for their callow progeny. [Illustration: THE BEE-WOLF (_Melittotheres nubicus_).] THE BEE-WOLF. The BEE-WOLF (_Melittotheres nubicus_) is recognisable from its congeners by its comparatively powerful frame, strong beak, and the great length of its centre tail-feathers. The magnificently-tinted plumage of this beautiful bird is deep red on the back, and rose-pink on the under side; the head, throat, rump, and centre tail-covers are blueish green; the cheek-stripe from the corner of the beak, around the eye to the ear, the tips of the exterior and anterior quills, and the extremities of the centre tail-feathers are black. The eye, like that of all Bee-eaters, is light red, the beak black, and the foot brown. This gorgeous species is thirteen inches and a quarter long, the wing measures five inches and three-quarters, and the outer tail-feathers four inches and one-third; the long centre feathers are seven inches long. The "Bee-wolves" inhabit the eastern coast of Africa, and are very numerous in some parts. Heuglin tells us that in Cordofania he constantly saw them perching on the backs of cattle, and from thence darting down to seize the grasshoppers disturbed by these involuntary assistants as they wander over the plain. THE BRIDLED BEE-EATER.