AVES. 463 



short. Tarsus longer than middle toe. Wings short, with fourth 

 and fifth quills longest of all. 



Sp. Chloropyrjia leptosoma Swains., Colurus lepiosomus Less. Ceyif. Zool. 

 PI. 20, Lafeesnate, Guek. Magas. de Zool. 1824, Ois. PI. 31; — Chloro- 

 X>ygia jyittoklcs Lafresn. ibid. PI. 32; — Chhro^yygia squnmigera, Brachypt. 

 sqiiamigera Lafresn., Desmubs PI. jyeint. 39; all from Madagascar. 

 PuCHEEAN forms of the two last species, whose tarsi are longer than those of 

 the first species, a distinct genus, Atelornis; Eevue Zool. 1S46, pp. 193 — 200. 



Coracias L. (in part). Bill moderate, compressed towards the 

 tip, with tip curved abruptly. Outer toes free. Tarsus shorter 

 than anterior middle toe. Wings elongate, with second quill long- 

 est of all. Tail even, rounded, with outer feather on each side often 

 longer than the rest, sometimes elongate, acuminate. 



Sp. Coracias garrula L., Buff. PI. enl. 486, Naum. Taf. 60, Lesson 

 Ornith. PI, 49, fig. i ; the garrulo^is roller, le collier, die RacTce; the 

 general colour is blue-green, the back cinnamon-brown, bill black, the legs 

 yellow. This bird lives in woods, feeds chiefly on large insects, and lays 

 from four to six white eggs in hollow trees. In its internal structure it 

 corresponds in some respects with the kingfishers and the bee-eaters, {Alcedo 

 and Merops) .— Coracias caudata L., Galgulus angolensis Briss. Ornith. 11. 

 PI. 7, fig. I, Buff. PI. enl. 88, Desmdes PI. peinies 28 ;— distinct from 

 Coracias abyssinica Gm., Buff. PI. enl. 626; see Desmues op. cit. 



Family XXX. Meropince. Wing-coverts large. Primaries 

 ten. Tarsi covered anteriorly with transverse scutes. Two outer 

 toes united, separate only at the apex. Bill subcm-ved. Nostrils 

 basal, lateral, partly covered by feathers of forehead. Tail long or 

 somewhat long, with twelve feathers. 



Prionites Illig., Momotus Briss. (species of Bliairvphastus L.). 

 Bill moderate, cloven as far as under the eyes, with margins serrate. 

 Tongue narrow, horny, feathery. Tarsus covered anteriorly and 

 posteriorly with a row of transverse scutes, reticulate at the sides, 

 equalling or surpassing the anterior middle toe. Tail cuneate, with 

 two middle feathers with stem sometimes produced beyond the rest 

 and denuded before the vaned termination. Wings with fourth 

 and fifth quills subequal, fourth longest of all. 



This genus contains South American birds which, as Cuvier has 

 correctly observed, represent the genus Merops of the eastern hemisphere. 

 They live in forests and feed chiefly on insects. They are coloured sea- 

 green and blue, and in form also most of them have much resemblance 

 to each other. 



