3. MEBOPS. 75 



Scl. p. Z. S. 1877, p. 105 ; Masters, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 

 i. p. 47 (1877) ; Casttln. S,- Ramsay, t. c. p. 379 ; Ramsay, t. c. 

 p. 589; Salvad. Atti R. Accad. Torino, xiii. p. 312 (1878); Ramsay, 

 Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ii. p. 179 (1878) ; Forbes, P. Z. S. 1878, 

 p. 121 ; Tweedd. Trans. Z. 8. viii. p. 42 (1878) ; Ramsay, Proc. 

 Linn. Soc. N. S. W. iii. p. 263 (1879) ; Sharpe, Juurn. Limi. Soc, 

 Zool. xiv. p. 086 (1879) ; Meijer, Ibis, 1879, p. 57 ; Layard, Ibis, 

 1880, p. 300 ; Salvad. Orn. Pajmasia, etc. i. p. 401 (1880) ; Forbes, 

 Rep. Zool. Voy. H.M.S. ' Challenger,' ii. p. 85 (1880) ; Meijer, 

 Verh.z.-b. Ges. Wien, xxxi. pp.763, 769(1881); Sharpe, Joum. 

 Linn. Soc, Zool. xvi. p. 429 (1882); Finsch, Viig. der Siidsee, 

 pp. 10, 25 (1884) ; Dresser, Monnyr. Merop. p. 51, pi. xiv. (1884) ; 

 Guillem. P. Z. S. 1885, p. 586 ; Rammy, Tab. List Austr. B. p. 3 

 (1888) ; Salvad. Ayyiwit. Orn. Pajmasia, p. 52 (1889). 



Giiepier Thouin ou a longs brins, Levaill. Hist. Nat. Guepiers, 

 p. 26, pi. 4(1807). 



Philemon oriiatus, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxvii. p. 423 (1817). 



Merops thouinii seu teniiipeuuis, Dumont, Diet. Sci. Nat. xx. p. 52 

 (1821). 



Mountain Bee-eater, Leiuin, Nat. Hist. Birds N. S. Wales,-p\. 2 (1822). 



Merops melanurus, Viy. S,- Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. xv. p. 208 

 (1826). 



Merops thouinii, Miill. Verh. Land- en Volkenk. p. 1.38 (1839-44). 



Melittophagus ornatus, Reiche7tb. Handb., Merop. p. 82 (1852). 



Merops (Urica) ornatus, Bp. Consp, Volucr. Anis. p. 8 (1854). 



Cosmaerops ornatus. Cab. ^- Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. ii. p. 1.38 (1860). 



Merops modestus, Oust. Bull. Assoc. France, p. 248 (1878) ; Salvad. 

 Atti R. Accad. Torino, xiii. p. 312 (1878). 



Adult male. General colour above yellowish green ; the lower 

 back and rump light cobalt-blue ; upper tail-coverts dark blue, 

 with lighter blue edges ; wing-coverts like the back ; greater coverts 

 rufous, with green edgings ; primarj'-coverts dull green ; quills 

 pale chestnut or fawn-colour, externally edged with green and 

 tipped with black, before which is a blue shade, the inner secon- 

 daries blue, like the lower back ; tail black, with a narrow edging 

 of green on the outer web ; fore part of crown yellowish green, 

 gradually shading off into orange-rufous on the hinder crown and 

 nape ; over the eye a narrow line of light green ; lores and a broad 

 band through the eye embracing the ear-coverts black, succeeded 

 by a line of blue along the cheeks ; throat and malar region 

 yellow, shading off into chestnut on the centre of the throat, suc- 

 ceeded by a broad band of black across the lower throat ; remainder 

 of under surface from the fore neck downwards yellowish green, 

 washed with emerald-green on the abdomen ; under tail-coverts 

 blue ; under wing-coverts fawn-colour : " bill black ; legs and feet 

 mealy greenish grey ; iris light brownish red " (J. Gould). Total 

 length 9-5 inches, culmen 1-5, wing 4-55, tail 3-15, centre feathers 

 4-85, tarsus 0-4. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in plumage. Total length 9-3 

 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 4-5.5, tail 3-1, centre feathers 4-4, 

 tarsus 0*4. 



Yoimg. Much duller than the adults, and distinguished by the 

 absence of the black throat, the chin and upper throat ashy white 

 or yellow, the breast dull greenish. 



