2S0 BIRDS. 



Gal. 185, (the Epimaque, witli twelve filaments), which, for a long 

 time, was placed among the Birds of Paradise, on account of the 

 long bunches of white plumes which decorate its flanks, the stems 

 of these plumes being continued out, forming six filaments on each 

 side. The body is usually of a violet black, and the feathers on the 

 bottom of the breast have an edging or border of emerald green. It 

 appears, however, that there are varieties with an entirely white body. 

 The primaries of the wing are short, and much less numerous than 

 in birds generally. 



Epim. ma(jnificus, Cuv.; Epimaque prom'efil, Vaill., Prom. 16. 

 Velvet-black ; tail, slightly forked ; head and breast of a most bril- 

 liant steel-blue ; feathers on the flanks long, fringed, and black. 



Epim. regius, Less, and Gam., Voy. de Duperr. pi. 28; Ptiloris 

 paradisceus, Swains. A purple black ; top of the head and upper 

 part of the breast of a fine brilliant green; feathers on the flanks 

 rounded and edged with green. 



The second and smallest division of the Passeriu^e comprehends those 

 in which the external toe, which is nearly as long as the middle one, is 

 united to it as far as the penultimate articulation. We make but a single 

 group of them, the '' 



SYNDACTYL/E, 



Which has long been divided into five genera, an arrangement to which 

 we adhere. 



Merops, Lin. 



The Bee-eaters have an elongated bill, triangular at hase, slightly arcu- 

 ated and terminating in a sharp point. There is a double emargination 

 on each side of the hind part of the sternum. Their long, pointed wings, 

 and short feet, render their flight similar to that of Swallows. They pur- 

 sue insects in great flocks, especially bees, wasps, and hornets; and it is 

 remarkable, they are never stung by them. 



There is a species, common in the south of Europe, but rare in 

 our latitude, the M. apiaster, L. ; Guepier commun, Enl. 938; 

 Naum. 143; Vaill., Guep., 1 and 2. (The Common Bee-eater). 

 A beautiful bird with a fawn-coloured back; front and belly of a sea- 

 green blue ; throat yellow, surrounded with black. It builds in 

 holes excavated by itself along the banks of streams, which are from 

 four to five feet in depth. The young birds remain a long time in 

 this retreat with their parents, which induced the ancients to believe 

 that the former supported the latter when worn out with age. 



The two middle quills of its tail are somewhat lengthened, the first 

 indication of a much greater elongation in the greater part of the 

 species foreign to Europe*. 



* Such arc, Mer. viridis, 740, Vaill. 4 -—orimtus. Lath. ; superbus, Nat. Jlisc. 78 ; 



— senegalensis, Enl. 314, and badius, 252, Vaill. 12, 13 ; superciUosus, 259, Vaill. 19. 

 —M. nubicus, Vaill, 5, Enl. 649 ; tliis individual had been deprived of its long quills. 



— M. Savignii, Vaill. 6.— J/. Cuvieri, Vaill. 9, and Swains. 111. 76, under the name 

 ot SavigrJi. — M. Lamark, Viiill. 10. 



