def merge_fields(*fields):

    """
    Provided as a convenience to merge multiple groups of fields.  Equivalent
    to: `fields.update(**other_fields)`.  Dictionaries are processed in order
    and overwrite fields that are already present.

    Parameters
    ----------
    fields : *args
        Field dictionaries to merge.

    Returns
    -------
    dict
    """

    out = {}
    for flds in fields:
        out.update(**flds)
    return out