J. f. Orn. 1 8 5 5 , p. 1 0 ; Hartlaub, Orn. Westafr. p. 4 0 ( 1 8 5 7 ) ; id. J . f- Orn. I 8 6 0 , p. 8 7 ; id. Faun. Madag.
p. 3 2 ( 1 8 0 1 ) ; Heuglin, J . f. O. 1 8 6 0 , p. 3 3 4 ; Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Mcrops, p. G (18G3) ; Hartmann,
J. f. ( ) . 1866, p. 2 0 2 ; Heuglin, Om. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 2 0 2 ( 1 8 G 9 ) ; Gray, Hand-l. of B. i. p. 1 0 0 , no. 1 2 1 1 ( 1 8 6 9 ) ;
Finsch, Tr. Zool. Soc. vii. p. 2 2 4 ( 1 8 7 0 ) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1 8 7 1 , p, 4 8 .
Merops indicus, Jerdon, Madr. Journ. scr. 1 , i i . p. 2 2 7 ( 1 8 1 0 ) ; Burgess, P. Z. S. 1 8 5 5 , p. 2 7 .
Merops ferrugeireps, Ilodgs. in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 8 2 ( 1 8 1 1 ).
Merops torquatus, Hodgs. in (iray's Zool. Misc. p. 8 1 ( 1 8 4 4 ) .
Mrrops /"//'lis, ItHchcuhncli, MiTopiiue, p. 7 5 ( 1 8 5 2 ).
Phhthnis nil i i f i i i i — l (Swains.), Beicbcnb. Meropinsc, p. 8 2 ( 1 8 5 2 ) ; Cab. Mus. Hem. ii. p. 1 3 7 ( 1 8 5 9 ) ; Gray,
Hand-l. of B. i. p. 1 0 0 , no. 1 2 1 1 ( 1 8 6 9 ) .
Ptdotknis virir/is (Linn.), Ileichcnh. Meropina;, p. 8 2 ( 1 8 5 2 ) ; Cab. Mus. Hem. ii. p. 1 3 6 ( 1 8 5 9 ) ; Gray, Hand-l. of B.
i. p. 9 9 , no. 1 2 1 0 ( 1 8 6 9 ).
Merops lamarcki (Cuv.), Strickland, P. Z. S. 1 8 5 0 , p. 2 1 6 ; Selatcr, in Jard. Contrib. Orn. ii. p. 1 2 4 ( 1 8 5 1 ) .
Harriot, Patrinipi, Hind.; limispiiltee, lit. " Bamboo-leaf," Bengal.; Chinna passeriki, Tel., lit. " Small green bird "
(Jerdon); Mo-na-gyee, Arraean (Myth); Kurnmenne kumllit, Sinhalese; Kattulan kuruvi, Tamils in Ceylon
(Lcggc).
FiguriE notabiles.
D'Aubcnton, PI. Enl. 2 5 9 ; Sonncrat, Voy. Ind. ii. pi. 1 1 9 ; Levaillant, Hist. Nat. Guep. pla. 1 0 , 1 1 ; Gould, II.
of Asia, pt. vii.; Dresser, It. of Europe, v. pi. 2 9 7 ; Shelley, B. of Egypt, pi. vii. fig. 2 .
HAB. N. and N.K. Africa, Palestine, India, eastward to Cochia China.
Ait. supra la?te psittacino-viridis, pileo et nucha vix rufescente aureo tinctis : dorso imo, uropygio ct scapularibus
cum secundariis intiniis viridi-cvaneo lavatis r remigibus intus viridi-ciiiiianiinncis, priiuuriis nigro-i'umoso et
sccundariis nigro terminatis, secundariis intimis dorso concoloribus: cauda sordide viridi, phi mis in pogonio
interno cinnamomco tinctis, rcctricibus duahus centralibu- valdc clougatis ct angnstatis ; corpore subtus hete
psittacino-viridi; taenia transoculari ct fascia jugular! aognata nigris : guhe lateribus c.-cruleis, ct gula ccntraliter
vix cmruleo notatu: ahdomine easrulco ct viridi-cseruleo tincto: alis itiFra pallide fu Ives ecu ti bus:
rostro nigro : iridc scarlatina : pedibus sordide plumbeis.
Jul), vix sordidior ct pallidior : gull magis viridi-flava et fascia jugulari aiigustiorc.
Adult male (Egypt).—Upper parts brilliant green; crown and nape tinged with rufeseent
golden ; lower back, rump, scapulars, and inner secondaries tinged with verdigris or blue-green ;
quills rufous on the inner webs, and strongly tinged with green on the outer webs, the
primaries dusky at the tips, and t h e secondaries, except the innermost, broadly lipped with black;
innermost secondaries like the back ; tail dull green, the inner edge of the webs dusky rufeseent,
the two central feathers much elongated; underparts bright green; a black band through
the eye, and a collar on the lower throat black; a line below the eye-band bright blue, and the
throat and abdomen slightly tinged with blue and blue-green ; under surface of the wings bright
rufous; bill blackish; iris crimson ; legs dull plumbeous. Total length about 11 inches, culmen
095, wing3'65, lateral tail-feathers 2-95, central tail-feathers 5'35, tarsus 0-45.
Adult female (Egypt).—Resembles the male ; but the throat and underparts are green, and
the line of blue below the black eye-hand is narrow.
Young.—Rather duller and paler than the adult, the throat pale yellowish green, and the
collar on the throat smaller and less distinct; the blue stripes on each side of the neck are
wanting.
Adult male (Ceylon).—Differs from the male from Egypt, above described, in having the
crown, nape, and hind neck deep golden rufous and the throat verditer-hlue.
Adult male (Burmah).—Differs from the ordinary type in having the forehead, crown, nape,
upper hack, and ear-coverts chestnut, tinged with green on the forehead and crown; beneath
the black eye-streak a line of bright blue; cheeks, chin, and throat greenish blue.
Tins brilliantly coloured little Bee-eater inhabits the whole of the northern and eastern portions
of the Ethiopian Region, ranging just into the Western Pakearctic Region, and the Oriental Region
as far east as Cochin China and as far south as Ceylon. I included it in my work on the Birds
of the Western PakBarctio Region on the strength of its occurrence in Palestine and North-east
Africa. Canon Tristram (' Ibis,' 1862, p. 278) obtained it in the Jordan valley. It is a common
North-east African species and ranges there northward into the limits of the Western Pala>arctic
Region. Mr. J . II. Gurney, jun., informs me that when travelling up tho Nile ho met with it
two days after leaving Cairo, whence it was common up to Assouan; and Captain Shelley states
(B. of Egypt, p. 171) that it is " a resident in Middle Egypt throughout the year, but does not
during the winter months range north of Golosaneh. They do not congregate in flocks, liko
Merops apiaster and Merops agyptius, but are generally to be met with ia pairs or family parties,
often perched in rows on the long leaves of the date-palms, or on the outer twigs of the sont
trees. I n flight they look extremely beautiful, as they skim gracefully through the air with
outspread wings, showing the orange colour underneath liko an illuminated transparency.
They breed in holes in the hanks in April."
Von Heuglin writes (Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 203) that this Bee-eater is a resident in Central
E g y p t between 21° and 28° N. lat., and not uncommon along the Nile and its canals, where
it breeds from February to April. In the autumn he observed it in Eastern Kordofan, in the
spring along the Gazelle river, but he cannot say if it is sedentary there; on the other hand, he
believes that it breeds in the Bogos country, as it was observed there during the whole of the
rainy season. Von Bartmann observes (/. c.) that Antinori shot several specimens at Djergele, on
the Nile, in 2(f 25' N. lat., and he himself obtained several in full breeding-dress at Antub, on the
Blue Nile, in September 1859. Mr. Blanford found it common in the coast regions of
Abyssinia, more especially in the mangroves on the shores of Annesley Bay ; and other naturalists
who have visited that country speak of it as being common there. It has been stated to occur
in Madagascar ; hut, as pointed out by Dr. Hartlauh, Brisson is the only authority on this
point; and as it has never been sent by any of the collectors who have more recently
explored that island, it may be doubted whether it is really to be met with there. It occurs
rarely in North-west Africa. There is a specimen in the Heine collection which was obtained ia
Barhary. Verreaux records it from Senegamhia; the specimen on which Swainson's specific title
tiridissimus was founded is said to have been sent from Senegal; and it has been obtained in
the Gaboon. There is, I may remark, a specimen in the Gould collection, now in the British
Museum, said to have been obtained in Mauritius. In Asia it is found as far east as Cochin
China. Mr. Blanford states (I. c.) that in Persia it is, of course, non-migratory, and is only found
in the lowlands of Southern Persia and Baluchistan, to which Sir Oliver St. John adds that ho
found it common on the coast and in the neighbouring valleys up to 2000 feet. According to