Blepharomerops daudini (Cuv.), G. R. Gray, Hand-1. of B. i. p. 99, no. 1208 (1869).
Mcrop* daudini, Cuv., Svrinhoc, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 34.9; Hume, Str. Feath, ii. pp. 102, 409 (1874); Oatcs, Str.
Feath. Hi. p. 49 (1875); Armstrong, Str. Feath. iv. p. 304 (1876).
Meropsphilippensis (Steph.), Hancock, Cat. of B. of North. & Durh. p. 28 (1874).
Maura notabilea.
Gould, B. of Asia, part vii.; D'Aubenton, PI. Enl. no. 5 7 ; Levaillant, Hist. Nat. Guep. pi. 14; Rcichenbaeh,
Mcropinse, pi. ccccxliv. fig. 3227.
Ihrii-putriiu/a, ISeng. ; litirra-pi/tringa, Hind.; Kmnu passcrik'i, Tel. (Jcrdon); Kuchangan, Java; Ihtrong
langir, Berray Betray, Malay; Shale, Nicoharcse; Kurumenne hurulla, lit. "Beetle-bird," Sinhalese;
Kattalan Jcuruvi, lit. "Aloe-bird," Tarn.; Pappugai de Champ, Portug., lit. "Ground-Parrot" (apud
Layard).
HAH. Indo-Malayan region, ranging eastward to China and the Philippines and southward to Java.
Ad. supra saturate viridis vis f usco lavatus, pileo et nucha- fusco-olivaccis • uropygio et supracaudalibus saturate
viridi-CEeruleis: secundariis intimis eodem colore tinctis: rcmigibus uigricanti tinctis; scapis nigris: cauda
saturate casruleii vis viridi tincta: rcctricibus duabus centralibus elongatis versus apiccm nigricantibus: mcnto
flavo, gula eastaneo-rufa : loris et vitta magna per oculum ducta nigris, hac subtus turctno-ca^ruleo marginata :
corpore subtus pallide viridi, lateraliter cinnamomeo lavato : subcaudalibus pallide cairulcis : alis subtus cinuamomeis:
rostro nigro : pedibus nigrieautibus : iride rubra.
Jav. supra viridior : plumis ad basin fusco-viridibus : uropygio, supracaudalibus et cauda sordidioribus : rcctricibus
centralibus baud elongatis, vitta nigra in facie lateraliter indistincte civrulco margiuata ; nuuito p:illido et
sordidc iliLvi): yidi'i pulliflt' cinriuu-.nuu'a : iride M)i\liilc rubra.
Adult male (Ceylon).—Upper surface of the head, body, and wings deep green, with a slight
brownish tinge, the crown and nape becoming brownish olivaceous ; rump and upper tail-coverts
deep greenish blue, and the inner secondaries tinged with the same colour ; quills tinged with
black and having black shafts; tail deep blue with a greenish tinge, the terminal portion of the
central rectrices blackish; chin yellow; throat rufous; a broad black streak, margined below with
pale turquoise-blue, passes along the side of the head through the eye ; underparts of the body
pale greenish, becoming pale cerulean blue on the under tail-coverts; flanks tinged with cinnamonrufous,
which colour pervades the under surface of the wings ; bill black; legs and feet blackish;
iris scarlet, eyelids grey; mouth flesh-colour. Total length about 11 inches, culmen 1*8, gape2-0,
wing 5*2, tail 6-0, central rectrices 2*2 longer than the lateral ones, tarsus 0"5, middle toe with
claw 0-8.
Adult female.—Does not differ from the male in plumage, hut appears, as a rule, to have
the central rectrices rather shorter than in the male.
Toting (Malacca).—Upper parts much greener than in the adult, the feathers brownish green
on the basal portions; rump, tail-coverts, and tail much duller than in the adult, the central
rectrices not elongated; the blue streaks on the sides of the head scarcely perceptible ; the chin
much less yellow than in the adult, and the throat pale dull cinnamon instead of rufous; bus
dull reddish.
THIS, one of the commonest of the Asiatic Bee-eaters, is found throughout the whole peninsula of
India, ranging south to Ceylon and the Andaman Islands; it also inhabits Burmah, Siam, Cochin
China, China, the Malay peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes, and the Philippine Islands.
According to Dr. Jerdon (I. <?.), it is "spread more or less over all India and Burmah,
extending to Ceylon in the south, and to the Malay peninsula and islands in the east. It prefers
forest-countries and well-wooded districts, and, though generally spread, is yet somewhat locally
distributed, and you may pass over considerable tracts of country without meeting one. The
Malabar coast is always a favourite haunt, and this Bee-eater appears to prefer the neighbourhood
of water. It is sometimes found in the "Wynaad and other elevated regions of Malabar, but in
general prefers a low level." In North-west India it is found as far as Sindh, and Mr. Scrope-
Doig met with it in the Narra district, where he believes it breeds; but west of Sindh it seems
to be entirely replaced by Merops persious. Mr. A. O. Hume received it from the Mount Aboo
district, where Dr. King also obtained it. It is found very generally throughout Central and
, Eastern India during the cool season. Col. Irby met with it in Oudh and Kumaon in the hot
season, but not in any numbers. Mr. Hall records it from Lohadugga, Sirguja, Sambalpur, &c.,
from the Ganges to the Godavery, in Jaipur and Baipur, but he adds that it is very rare in Chota
Nagpur, where he never observed it, however, before the hot weather. Dr. Pairbank, who procured
it in the Palani Hills, writes (Str. Peath. v. p. 394) that it " was common in 186G on the eastern
side of the Palani Hills at 2000 or 3000 feet; but this year I only saw it once, and the one I shot,
falling among high grass, was not recovered, though I carefully marked the spot where it fell."
There are numerous records of its occurrence in various parts of India down to the southern part
of the peninsula, too numerous to cite in detail. I may, however, remark that, according to Blyth,
it occurs in Lower Bengal chiefly or only during the rainy season. Mr. Cripps says (Str. Feath.
vii. p. 158) that it is "far from rare at Furrecdpore, Eastern Bengal, where they appear in
February, breed in holes in banks in July and August, after which they disappear. They frequent
river-banks and ' heels :' in the latter they perch on the sticks and bamboos which the fishermen
put down for drying their nets on. They have a much louder note than Merops viridis, and are
rather shy." Col. Legge writes (l. c.) that it is " migratory to Ceylon, arrives in the north of the
island about the beginning of September, and rapidly spreads more or less through all parts of it
before the end of the month. It seems to find its way to the south-west corner, or Galle district,
almost as soon as to any part of the island, and collects there in greater numbers than elsewhere
on the western side. I have met with it in the interior of the country, between Galle and
Akurresse, as early as the 8th of September. It locates itself in great numbers in the Jaffna
peninsula, and on the north-west coast as far south as Pultalam, and spreads in tolerable
numbers into the interior, passing over the forest-clad portions, however, to a great extent,
and ascending to the patnas and open hills of the Kandyan Province. In Uva and Pusselawa,
and on the Agra, Lindula, and Bopatalawa patnas, at an elevation of 5000 feet, it is
common; hut I have never seen it on the 'plains' of the Nuwara-Elbya plateau. In the
Eastern Province it confines itself mostly to the sea-board, being less numerous in the Park
country and the south-eastern 'jungle-plain' than the next resident species {Merops viridis).
Its departure from the island is as sudden as it is regular, in proof of which I may state that at
Galle, in two successive seasons, I observed it collect in large flocks between the 20th and 31st
March, and disappear entirely on the 1st April. Mr. Holdsworth, who writes that at Aripu it
was so abundant that the common resident species (Merojjs ciridis) was scarce in comparison
with it, states that it left about the beginning of April; and by the end of that month, I behove,