152 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Merops. 



Tail slightly rounded, middle tail feathers prolonged 

 beyond others. 



Merops apiaster L. Bee-eater. Fj: Guepier vulgaire ; 

 Ger. Bienenfresser ; Ital. Gruccioiie. 



$ $ Forehead white, crown, hind neck and upper back 

 chestnut ; lower back and scapulars brownish yellow, primaries 

 blue ; wing coverts and secondaries (latter black tips) cinnamon ; 

 beneath bluish green ; throat yellow, then a black band ; ear 

 coverts black ; central tail feathers exceed others by about 

 25 m.m. Bill black. Legs and feet greyish to reddish brown. 

 Iris crimson. Wing $ 144-156, ? 138-148 (W.). Tarsus 11-13. 



Bill 31-35- 



Breeds. — S. and S. Central Europe, north to S. France, 

 N. Italy, Transylvania, S. Russia, north to Moscow and 

 Orenburg ; Mediterranean Islands, N.W. Africa, Asia Minor 

 and W. Asia, east to Kashmir. Of occasional occurrence 

 farther north in Europe to Britain and Sweden. Migrates ; 

 occurs on passage Madeira, Canaries, Malta, Egypt. Winters 

 in Africa to Cape, and in S. Arabia. 



Merops persicus persicus Pallas. 



$ 9 Green, with blue tinge on upper tail coverts ; base of 

 bill white ; forehead and supercilium blue ; through eye a black 

 line ; cheeks blue mixed white ; ear coverts brown, chin yellow ; 

 throat and under wing coverts cinnamon ; two central tail feathers 

 exceed others by 50-60 m.m. in $ (in ? 40-50 m.m.). Bill black. 

 Legs and feet dark brown. Iris crimson. Wing $ 140-160, 

 $ 142-150. Tarsus 12. Bill 36-40 (H.). 



Breeds. — Egypt, Mesopotamia and S.W. Asia to N.W. India ; 

 also Ural and Volga districts near Caspian Sea. Occurs on 

 passage in Palestine. Winters S. Arabia and Africa. Rare 

 visitor to Mediterranean countries of Europe. 



M. persicus chrysocercus Cabanis and Heine. Central tail 

 feathers longer, 90-100 m.m. beyond others ; white on cheeks 

 faint or absent ; green colour of body tinged faint yellow. 



Breeds. — N. Sahara of Algeria and Tunisia. Migrates ; winters 

 in Senegambia and Lake Tchad country. 



