FASSEllIN^. 323 



as the middle one, is united to it as far as the penultimate ar- 

 ticulation. We make but a single group of them, the 



SYNDACTYLY, 



Which has long been divided into five genera. 



Merops, Lin. 



The Bee-eaters have an elongated beak, triangular at base, slightly 

 arcuated and terminating in a sharp point. There is a double emar- 

 gination on each side of the hind part of the sternum. Their long, 

 pointed wings, and short feet render their flight similar to that of 

 Swallows. They pursue insects in great flocks, especially bees, 

 wasps, 8cc. and it is remarkable, they are never stung by them. 



There is a species, common in the south of Europe, but rare 

 towards the north, the M. apiaster, L. 5 Guepier commim, Enl. 

 938; Naum. 143; Vaill., Guep., 1 and 2. (The Common Bee- 

 eater.) A beautiful bird with a fawn coloured back; front and 

 belly of a sea-green blue; throat yellow, surrounded with black. 

 It builds in holes excavated by itself along the banks of streams, 

 which are from four to five feet in depth. The young birds re- 

 main a long time in this retreat with their parents, which in- 

 duced the ancients to believe that the former supported the 

 latter when worn out with age. 



The two middle quills of its tail are somewhat lengthened, 

 the first indication of a much greater elongation in the greater 

 part of the species foreign to Europe. (l) 



The tail of several species, however, is nearly square(2) or 

 slightly forked, (3) though this sometimes depends upon their 

 condition when killed. 



(1) Such are: Mer. viridis, 740, Vaill. 4; ornatus, Lath.; superhus, Nat. Alisc. 

 78; senegalemis, Enl. 314, and budius, 252, Vaill. 12, 13; superciliosus, 259, Vaill. 

 19. M. nubicus, Vaill. 5, Enl. 649; this individual had been deprived of its long- 

 quills. M. Savignii, Vaill. 6. M. Cuvieri, Vaill. 9, and Swains. HI. 76, under the 

 name of Savignii. 31. Lamark, Vaill. 10. 



(2) Merops jihilippinus, Enl. 57-., M. cayennensis, 454 (N.B. That it is not from 

 Cayenne). M. nubicus, 649; M. erytropierus, 318; M. malimbicus, Sh. or bicolor, 

 Daud. Ann. du Mus. I, Ixii, and Vaill. 5, Vieill. Gal. 186; M. gularis, Nat. Misc. 

 387; M. amidus, T. Col. 310; M Daudin, Vaill. 14. M. coromandus, Latli.Son- 

 nerat, Voy. 2, 105, or G. cytrin, Vaill. 11; M. quiniicolor, Vaill. 15; M. minulus, 

 Vaill. 17; -M Lechenaud, Vaill. 18; Af. Bullock, Vaill. 20. 



(3) M. taiva, Vaill. 8. M. urica. Swains. Zool. 111. 8. N.B. The Merops conge- 

 ner, Aldr. I, 876, is not very authentic; the cafer, Gm. is the TJpupapromerops; the 

 brasiliensis, Seb. I, Ixvi, 1, is most probably an Icterus; the M. monachus, comicu- 

 laitis, cyanops, are Gymnops; the Mer. phrygius, cincinnatus, cucuUatus, cyanops. 



