683 



MEROPS. BEE-EATER. 



Bill longer than the head, somewhat arched, opening to be- 

 neath the middle of the eye, pentagonal at the base, then four- 

 sided, compressed, and tapering to a point : upper mandible 

 with the dorsal outline arcuate, the sides sloping and slightly 

 convex, the ridge carinate, the edges sharp, at the base over- 

 lapping, the tip acute and destitute of notch ; lower mandible 

 with t.ic angle short, the dorsal line slightly arcuate, the ridge 

 narrow, the sides somewhat convex, the tip acute ; the gape- 

 line arcuate. 



Palate flat ; posterior aperture of nares oblongo-linear ; up- 

 per mandible concave, with three prominent lines ; lower more 

 deeply concave, with a prominent median line. Nostrils 

 broadly elliptical or roundish, in the fore part of the short nasal 

 membrane, which is covered with short feathers directed back- 

 wards. Eyes of moderate size ; eyelids feathered. External 

 aperture of ear roundish, of moderate size. 



Feet remarkably small and feeble ; the tibia bare above the 

 joint ; the tarsus extremely short, roundish ; its scales indis- 

 tinct. Toes very slender ; the hind toe proportionally small, 

 beneath broad and flattened ; the anterior toes parallel, the 

 inner little shorter than the outer, and free beyond the second 

 joint ; the third not much longer than the fourth, with which 

 it is united to more than half its length ; the scutella distinct. 

 Claws curved, slender, much compressed, very acute, those of 

 the second and third toes with dilated inner edges. 



Plumage generally blended, but rather firm and glossy ; the 

 feathers oblong. Wings long, pointed, very broad ; the quills 

 twenty-three, the primaries much longer than the secondaries ; 

 the first quill extremely small, the second longest ; the secon- 



