474 MEROPID^F, 



Gen. NyctiorniS. Swainson. 



Bill moderately long, curved, compressed ; culmen flattened at base, grooved 

 on the sides; nostrils hidden ; wings moderate, 4th quill longest ; plumage lax 

 and dense ; breast with elongated plumes. 



1104. Nyctiornis Athertoni (yard, and Selb.\ Jerd. . Ind. i. 



p. 211, No. 122; Hume, Nests and Eggs p. 103; Blyth, B. Burm. p. 73; 

 Hume and Dav., Str. F. vi. p. 68 ; Anders., Yunnan Expei. p. 583 ; Hume, 

 Sir. F. viii, p. 85 ; Bingham, Str* F. ix. p. 472 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm. ii. 

 p. 63. Merops Athertoni, Jard. and Selby, III. Orn. ii. pi. 58. The BLUE- 

 NECKED BEE-EATER. 



Whole upper surface of the head and body, including the wings and tail, 

 and the sides of the head and neck, deep green ; frontal feathers tipped with 

 bluish ; gular hackles rich ultramarine blue, the feathers lengthened and 

 drooping ; breast, abdomen, and sides of the body buff, streaked with greenish ; 

 wing and upper tail coverts plain buff; under wing coverts buff ; inner webs 

 of quills brownish. Bill horny, light at the base below ; irides yellow ; legs 

 and feet dusky, tinged with greenish. 



Length. 14 inches; tail 6*2, 3-2 beyond the length of wing; wing 5-8 

 tarsus 07 ; bill from gape 2' 3. 



Hal. The Indo-Burmese countries into India, where it is found in the 

 large and lofty forests of Malabar, the Neilgherries, Wynaad, the Carnatic, 

 Mysore, and along the Himalayas from Dehra Doon to Assam, Arrakan and 

 Tenasserim. It is also found in Darjeeling. Breeds in April and May, in 

 the sub -Himalayan forest of the Kumaon terai ; also in Tenasserim, where 

 Captain Bingham found the eggs. It is generally solitary in its habits, and 

 not unlike other Bee-Eaters, perches high on trees in commanding positions, 

 whence it sallies forth after flying insects, which it seizes on the wing. 



1105. NyctiorniS amicta (Tern.), Salvad., Vcc. Born. p. 91 ; 

 Blyth and Wald., B. Burm. p. 73; Hume and Damson, Str F. vi. p. 69; 

 Hume, Sir. F. viii. p. 85 ; Bingham, Str. F. ix. p. 153 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1881, 

 p. 378. Merops amictus, Tern., PL Col. 310. Nyctiornis malaccensis, Cab. 

 et Hem., Mus. Hem. ii. p. 133. The RED-BEARDED BEE-ATER. 



Feathers covering the nostrils greenish blue ; forehead, lores and crown of 

 head as far as a line drawn behind the eyes bright lilac-rose ; angle of chin 

 bluish ; whole upper surface of the body, including the wings and tail, dark 

 green ; inner webs of quills brownish, their bases edged with buffish ; under 

 side of tail bright buffish yellow, tipped with black ; cheeks, throat, and a band 

 extending to the breast crimson, the feathers of the latter dark centred ; abdo- 

 men and rest of under surface of body pale green ; under wing coverts buff. 

 In the female the forehead, lores and throat are crimson ; eyelids green. 

 Bill black ; irides bright yellow ; legs and feet pale green. 



