402 M. Simdevall on the Birds of Calcutta, 



late albido-cyaneis. Alas caeruleae et violacese. $ (d. 19 Martii) ut 

 descriptio Wagleri citata. Long. 12^- poll. Ala 172 millim., tar- 

 sus, 25, cauda 120. Iris obscure rufescens. — $ vix differt. Junior 

 = Cor. naevia $ Wagleri. 



The Indian Roller is yet more splendid than ours, which it 

 otherwise much resembles ; it has also the same rough ugly voice, 

 but the flight seemed to be less quick, somewhat tortuous, and 

 sometimes almost tumbling. The food consists chiefly of grass- 

 hoppers, at least I found nothing else in its stomach. It is com- 

 mon in Bengal (Feb. — May), and is there called Nilkhont. 



50. Merops viridis, L. et auct., et ejusd var. /3, B et e, Lath. 

 (Var. y=M. segyptius, Forsk,, Licht. : gula flava). Viridis, macula 

 oblonga per oculos striaque transversa juguli nigris; gula cserules- 

 cente ; remigibus pogonio intferiori fulvis, apice nigris. Rectricibus 

 2 mediis apice longissimo, tenui (adulta). 



<$ Febr. Color olivaceo-viridis ; capite supra, praesertim poste- 

 rius cum nucha fulvescente. Iris coccinea. Longit. (prater rectrices 

 2 medias) 1\ poll. Ala 100 milliin. Pes e talo ad apicem unguis 26. 

 Rostrum 26. Rectrices 70 = apices 2 elongati 70. Remiges l a 

 spuria ; 2 et 3 subaequales, integrae ; reliquse apice cordato-incisse. 

 Lingua longa, tenuis, integerrima, acuta. Cutis maxime firma (vel 

 duriuscula). Musculi occipitis tenues, fere spatiis perviis distincti. 

 Ventriculus fortius musculosus. 



$ Similis mari, vix minus nitide colorata. 



This handsome bird was seen commonly in trees near Calcutta, 

 but I am uncertain whether they occur later than the middle of 

 March. It does not live in flocks, but several are generally seen 

 near together, and I killed two males at the first shot (Feb. 9). 

 In their stomachs they had insects of all orders, and they were 

 continually seen flying out from the trees to catch these, return- 

 ing back again almost like a Muscicapa. The flight was gliding, 

 with the wings motionless and held straight out, forming an 

 isosceles triangle. I never saw this species wheel round in large 

 circles like Swallows, as the European Bee-eater is said to do. 

 No other sound was heard from them but a soft hissing srrrr - - 



_ . i I which was commonly when they flew. The Bengalese 



name was said to be Bashbatta ; but through a mistake of their 

 colours they are also named Benebo, which name belongs to 

 Bucco, and Massrenga which belongs to Alcedo. In Latham's 

 ' Gen. Hist/ six other names are given for them. 



51. Alcedo ispida, L. = A. bengalensis, Gm., Lath, (ex Edw. 

 tab. 11. fig. inf.)*. 



* Alcedo bengalensis, var. /3. Lath. = Edw. xi. fig. sup., est distincta 

 species. Simillima, vix minor, capitis lateribus caeruleis ; = A. meningting, 

 Horsf. Jav. L. Tr. xiii. Temm. PI. Col. 239. 2. Forte « A. ispida, Raffl. 

 Sumatra, L. Tr. xiii. ? An etiaoi Bengalias incola ? 



