from the chin extending down the breast rich turquoise-blue, varying to deep ultramarine-blue ;
lower breast and underparts generally ochreous buff, the abdomen broadly striped with dark
green; vent and under tail-coverts plain buff; under surface of t h e wings warm orange-buff, that
of the tail yellowish buff, tipped with brown; bill dark horn, light at the base of the lower
mandible; legs pale dingy green; claws horn-colour; iris orange-red or orange-brown. Total
length about 13 inches, culmen 1*8, wing 5*6, tail 5-7, tarsus 0'75.
Adult female (Tenasserim, 20th Oct.).—Resembles the male, but is smaller, measuring—Total
length 11*5 inches, culmen 1*3, wing 5'25, tail 5*3, tarsus 0-7.
Young.—Differs from the adult in having the forehead and throat dark green and not blue,
and the general tinge of green in the plumage is darker than in the adult.
THIS, the largest of the Bee-caters, inhabits the Indian region only, being found in India proper,
whence it ranges eastward into Burmah and Cochin China. Dr. Jcrdon (B. of India, i. p. 212)
says that " it is found in the large and lofty forests of India. I have found it in Malabar in
several localities; well up the sides of the Neilgherries at least to 3000 feet; in the Wynaad
jungles ; and, on one occasion, on the Naekenary 'Bass, leading from the Carnatic into Mysore, at
about 1400 feet. It does not appear to occur in Central India, but is not rare all along the Himalayan
range from the Deyra Doon to Assam, Arrakan, and Tenasserim. I got it at Darjeeling
at about 1000 feet high." According to Capt. Butler (Str. Eoath. ix. p. 382) it is " rare in the
Deccan and Southern Mahratta country. It was obtained by Laird in the forest tract west
of Belgaum, but he did not hear of any other instance of its occurrence within the region."
Mr. Davison informs mc that it is by no means a common species in Southern India, but has
been obtained at Kulhutty in the Neilgherries, at Villayar in Coimbatore, and at Carcoor and
Nelambore in Malabar. Dr. Fairbank, during a visit to the Palani hills in Southern India,
obtained this bird, in December 180G, at the head of the Kamban valley, which skirts the Palanis
along the south-eastern base, and he also observed a pair at Periur on the lower Palanis in March.
Hodgson procured it in Nepal and at Darjeeling, and there are examples in the British Museum
from Travancore and Nynee-Tal. It is found in Burmah, Tenasserim, Siam, and Cochin China;
and Mr. Oatcs writes (B. of Brit. Burmah, ii. p. 64) that " it occurs sparingly throughout British
Burmah, frequenting forest country and being a constant resident. I procured a few specimens
in the Arrakan hills near Nyoungyo, and I met with it near Pegu town once or twice.
Mr. Blani'ord got it at Bassein, and Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay at Tonghoo and on the Karin bills."
Mr. Hume records it from Pahpoor, Amherst, Karope, and Tavoy in Tenasserim; Blyth says
t h a t in the Southern Tenasserim provinces it occurs together with Nyctionus amicius.
Messrs. Hume and Davison write (' Stray Feathers,' vi. p. 68) that " this Bee-eater is found in
Tenasserim at Pahpoor, Thatonc, t h e Salween river, Thoungsha, t h e Gyne river, Kanec, Khyin, and
Amherst, and is sparingly distributed throughout the better-wooded and less elevated parts of the
northern and central parts of the province; " and Mr. Davison says that he " met with it only
at Amherst and northwards of that place; it is nowhere very common and only occurred in the
better wooded portions of t h e country. As a rule it prefers to keep to the forest, but it occasionally
wanders into gardens, and at Amherst I shot two specimens off a large peepul-tree growing some
considerable distance from any forest. I have not met with this species south of Amherst, though
it possibly does occur somewhat further south." Capt. Bingham observed it near Kaukarit, and
adds that it was far commoner along the well-wooded Dawna range and in the Thoungycen valley.
Dr. Anderson also obtained it near Bhamo,
I n the British Museum there is a specimen collected by Mouhot in Cambodia; and
Dr. Tiraut writes (I. c.) that it " inhabits the open portions of all the large forests of Cochin
China : I have killed it at Deng-Inch, at Cai-Cung, Sudi-nuoc, and Srok-tranh. It carries itself
like the other Bee-eaters, hut lives in solitude. I kept one in confinement for more than three
weeks. It had a broken wing and could not ily far. Usually it sat still and attentive on its perch,
uttering a harsh cry like a Roller when offered a live insect."
I n habits the present species does not appreciably differ from the members of the genus
Merops. It frequents wooded localities, but is far from being a denizen of the dense forests
like Xyctiomis amictus. Mr. Davison informs ino that it is " a silent and rather shy bird, rarely
uttering a cry except when alarmed. It frequents the borders of the dense forests of Southern
India and may occasionally he seen perched on a bamboo overhanging some stream on the look
out for insects. They are almost invariably found in pairs. The Irulars or Hillmcn declare that
they breed in holes in river-banks; hut I have never succeeded in obtaining the eggs myself."
Captain Beavan, who procured it at Moulmein, says that it was seated on a dead bough of a tree
which overhung a tank, from which it sallied forth every few minutes like the ordinary Bee-eater
and returned to its perch with an insect. It allowed him to approach within easy shot without
seeming at all annoyed by his presence.
Hodgson, writing on the habits of this speeies, says (Joum. As. Soe. Beng. v. p. 3G1) that
" they are of rare occurrence and are solitary woodlanders. They aro found in the lower and
central regions of Nepal, hut seldom or never in the northern. Their food consists of bees and
their congeners, but they likewise consume great quantities of scaraban and their like; they seek
the deep recesses of the forests, and there, tranquilly seated on a high tree, watch the casual
advent of their prey, and having seized it, return directly to their station. They are of dull
staid manners, and never quit the deepest recesses of the forest. In the rajah's shooting-excursions
they are frequently taken alive by the clamorous multitude of sportsmen, some two or more
of whom single out a bird, and presently make him captive, disconcerted as he is by the noise.
The intestinal canal in this bird is usually about twelve inches long, with eaica of an inch or more
in length placed near to the bottom of it. The stomach is muscular and of medial suhequal
thickness. Such, too, is the character of the stomach and intestines in Merops."
I am also indebted to Capt. Bingham for the following notes:—
" This species is fairly common in the Tenasserim forests, affecting the more open forests
and gardens ; I have even procured it on some solitary trees in a paddy-field near Kaukarit on
the Houndraw river. It has a hoarse chuckling croak, and if a pair happen to be seated near
each other when one takes a flight the other croaks, bending its head down and puffing out its
pectoral plumes, ending up with a long 'k-r-r-r.' Another note it has by which ii has frequently
betraved its vicinity to me, which is not at all unlike the self-satisticd short ' cluk * of Shopodytet
tristis. This bird is a veritable bee-eater; out of the many I have shot, I have rarely found
one whose stomach was not crammed with bees.
" Lieut. Atherton, the discoverer of this species, informed Selby that it was ' very scarce and
rare inhabiting the thickest jungles in the interior of India, and feeding by night, at which time
it was very noisy, repeating frequently the short cry of curr, curr.' Thus it will be seen that the
c