84 MKEOPID^. 



14. Merops natal ensis. 



Merops uubicoides(!), Des Murs et Pvrher. Rev. Zool. 1846, p. 243 ; 



Bp. Consp. i. p. 161 (1850); Kirk, Ibis, 1864, p. 824; Gray, 



Iland-l. B. i. p. 100, no. 1214 (1869) ; Gnrney in Andcrss. B. 



I)am.-Ld. p. 62 (1872); Ai/res, Ibis, 1874, p. 102; Sharpe, ed. 



Lm/ard's B. S. Afr. pp. 99, 804, pi. 4. fig. 2 (1876) ; Bvca(/e, Orn. 



Angola, p. 637 (1881) ; Sharpe in Gates' Matahele-Land, App. 



p. 301 (1881): Shelley, Ihis, 1881, p. 242; Ay res, Ibis, 1884, 



p. 223, 1885, p.' 343; Dresser, Mongr. Merop. p. 93, pi. 21 (1884) ; 



Reichen. J.f. O. 1887, p. 308. 

 Merops natalensis, Reichenb. Handb., Merop. jp. 78, Taf. 451. figs. 



3252-53 (1852) ; Cab. H^ Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. ii. p. 142 (1860) ; 



Schl. Mus. Pays- B as, Merops, p. 7 (1863) ; Finsch ^ Hartl. VUg. 



Gstafr. p. 184 (1870). 

 Melittotheres natalensis, Reichenb. Handb., Merop. p. 82 (1852). 

 Melittotheres nubicoides, Bj}. Consp. Valuer. Ants. p. 8 (1854). 

 Merops nubicus {nee Gm.), Layard, B. S. Afr. p. C9 (1867) ; Bocage, 



Orn. Angola', p. 90 (1877). 



Adah. General colour above pinkish vermilion ; the lower back, 

 nimp, and upper tail-coverts light cobalt-blue, deeper on the latter ; 

 wings darker crimson than the back, with a blackish band at the 

 ends of all but the inner secondaries, which are greenish at the 

 ends ; tail-feathers dark crimson, with a blackish band at the end, 

 the long centre ones black for the terminal third : crown of head 

 green, a little brighter on the eyebrow ; lores, feathers below the 

 eye, and ear-coverts black ; cheeks and under surface of body 

 beautiful rosy pink, paler on the breast ; the lower abdomen pale 

 blue, as also tlie under tail-coverts, the longer ones being greenish ; 

 on each side of the vent a tuft of silky white feathers ; under wing- 

 coverts and quill-lining bay or light chestnut : " bill black ; feet 

 dingy ash-brown ; iris umbcr-brown " {T. Ayres). Total length 

 14 inches, culmen 1'65, wing 5-75, tail 3'8, centre tail-feathers 7'5, 

 tarsus 0-4. 



Young. Similar to the adult, but duller in colour, and having a 

 bluish-green throat. 



Hah. S.E. Africa, extending northwards to the Zambesi, west- 

 wards into Damara-Land and the Upper Congo region. 



fl. Ad. St. South Africa. Edward Wilson, Esq. 



[P.]. 



b. Ad. sk. Port Natal. Sliarpe Coll. 



c. c? ad. ; d, e. J Eland's Pi\er, Transvaal, Feb. Shelley CoU. 

 ad. et juv. sk. (7". Ayres). 



f. c5' ad. sk. llustenherg, J fin. 16 (T. Ayres). Gurney Coll. 



g. Ad. sk. Daka, Matabele-Land (F. W. E. & C. G. Gates, 



Oates). Esqrs. [P.]- 



fl. (5' ad. sk. Geruah (F. Oates). W. E. & C. G. Oates, 



Esqrs. [P.]. 



i, k. Ad. sk. Makalaka Country (Dr. Brad- Shelley Coll. 



s/iaw). 



I, m. Ad. sk. Zambesi. Sir John Kirk [P.]. 



n. $ ad.sk. Otjinibiuque, Daniara - Land, Tweeddale Coll. 



Dec. (C. J. Andersson). 



