MEROPS. BEE-EATER, 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum curvatum, com- 

 pressum, carinatum. 



Lingua plerisque apice laci- 

 niaia* 



Pedcs gressorii. 



Lin. Syst. Nat. 



Bill curved, compressed, 

 carinated. 



Tongue in most species la- 

 ciniated at the tip. 



Feet gressorial, viz. with 

 three toes forwards and 

 one back wards; the middle 

 toe connected with the 

 outer one. 



COMMON BEE-EATER. 



Merops Apiaster. M. thalassina, gula jlava, dorso ferruginco- 

 jlavescente, fascia oculari mgra, rtctricibus mediis elongato-acu- 

 minatis. 



Sa-green Bee-Eater, with yellow throat, yellow ferruginous back, 

 black eye-stripe, and the two middle tail feathers sharp-elon- 

 gated. 



Merops Apiaster. M. dorso ferrvgineo, abdomine caudaque viridi- 

 ccerukscente, rtctricibus duabus loiigioribus, gula lutea. Lin. Si/st. 

 Nat. 



Merops. Ge.sn. Aldrov. fyc. 



Merops sive Apiaster. Raii. syn. p. 4Q. Charlt. onom, zoic. p. 

 87. pi. oppos. Apiaster. Briss. av. 



The Bee-Eater. Will. orn. 



JLe Guepier. Buff. ois. PI. Enl 93 8. 



Common Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. 



JL HIS is one of the most elegant of the European 

 birds, and, next to the Roller and the Kingfisher, 



