passerine. 



209 



The Promeropses (Promeropa, Brisson), — 

 .Ire not crested, but possess a very long tail ; their tongue, furcate and extensile, enables thcin to suck 

 the nectar of flowers, like the Hamming-birds and Son-birds. 

 [There are many species, found only in the warm regions of the eastern hemisphere.] 



The Epimachus, Cuv., — 

 Consists of Birds, winch, with the beak of the Hoopoes and Promeropses, combine velvety or scale- 

 like feathers, which partly cover the nostrils, as in the Birds-of-Paradise ; they inhabit also the tame 

 countries, and have equally gorgeous plumage. The males have even tufts of lengthened feathi re, 

 more or less produced, upon the flanks. 



The Superb Epimachus (Upupa magna, Lin.).— Ulack, with a graduated tail, three times longer than the body ; 

 the feathers mi tin- think* elongated, turned up, ami frizzled, with the edges of a burnished steel-blue; and moat 

 magnificent coloured glosses on the plumage generally. 



Naturalists have distinguished the square-tailed species, or 



Tin: PriLOBIS, Swainson, — 

 Such as the Twelve-wired Epimachus (E/>. albut; ParadUtea alba, Blum.), which was long ranged among the 

 Birds-of-Paradise, on account of the long bunches of white plumes which decorate its flanks, the stems of them 



being prolonged into six barbless filaments on each side. The body is usually violet-black, and the feathi I 

 tin- bottom of the breast have an edging or border of emerald green. Ep. magnificat, Cuv., and /•-';». regbu, 

 Lesson, are two other superb species of this subdivision. 



The second and smaller principal division of the Passerina consists of Birds wherein the 



(inter toe is nearly us Long as the middle one, and connected to it as far as the second joint. 

 'We make but one group of them, that of 



Thb Syndactyli, 



Long since divided into five genera, which we retain. [None of them are modified upon the 

 distinct type of the Passerine.] 



The Bee-eaters (Merops, Lin.) — 

 Have a lengthened beak, triangular at its base, slightly arcuated, and sharp-pointed. Their sternum 



(fig. 'J7) is doubly emarginated behind: [thej have a membranaci 8 stomach, and no cceca; a short 



and heart-shaped tongue, and very thick skin.] Their long and pointed wings, and short feet, render 



their flight similar to that of a Swallow. They pursue insects in 

 flocks, and particularly Bees and Wasps, by which it is remarkable 

 that they are never stung [seizing the insect and at once crushing it 

 by the snap of their powerfully compressive beak : arc peculiar to the 

 eastern hemisphere, and nearly allied to the Kingfishers and Rollers. 



These birds have brilliant plumage, and tail variously shaped, but gene- 

 rally with the oropygial feathers elongated: they excavate deep holes in 

 banks, hkr the Kingfishers, and lay similar Bpherical polished whil 

 or eight in number ; the young retaining their Orel plumage till the second 

 autumn. 



Of numerous species, there is one common in the south of Europe during 

 summer, but rare in the latitude of Britain, which it seldom visits (if. apUu- 

 ter, Lin. i: another i.U. pertieat, Pailasi, \i>its the south-easl of Europe. 

 These birds often watch their prey from the summit of trees, to which they 



return after skimming about tor s minute or two. 

 It is necessary to distinguish from thciu 



Thb Nyctiornis, Gould, — 

 Which have shorter beaks, and softer ami denser plumage, loose and puffy upon the throat. Their 

 haliits arc crepoacular or nocturnal, and their distribution is confined to Asia. 

 Three orfl es are know a, which are »ery noisy during their time of activity]. 



The I'm c-eati rs are represented in America by 



Tnr. Mnninis (Prionitet, Illiger), — ■ 

 Which have the same feet and port [their tarsi being howcur Longer], but differ I get bill, 



I . \.— Surnum of Bcc-entcr. 



