MEROFS. BIRDS. 265 



their food on the wing, and often from the surface of water, and nestle in holes on 

 the banks of rivers. They moult only once a-year ; and the females and young are 

 not very dissimilar from the males and mature birds. 



Gen. 1. MEROPS, Lin. 



Bill sharp-edged, pointed, slightly curved ; nostrils basal, late- 

 ral, ovoid, concealed by hairs directed forwards ; tarsus short ; 

 three front toes united, the exterior to the second joint, the 

 interior to the first joint of the middle toe ; hind toe broad 

 at its base ; the second wing-feather the longest. 



This genus feeds chiefly on bees and wasps, which they seize on the wing. They 

 nestle in holes on the banks of rivers. Many of the exotic species have their nostrils 

 entirely naked, and the third wing-feather the longest. 



M. apiaster, Lin. Common Bee-eater. Forehead greenish white ; 

 occiput, nape, and top of the back chestnut ; rest of the body red- 

 dish yellow ; middle of the wing deep red ; wing and tail-feathers 

 olive-green ; eye-stripe black ; throat golden yellow, with a black 

 semicollar ; two middle tail-feathers elongated and acuminated. 

 Inhabits Europe. B Selby, Illust. pi. 41. 



M. Savignii, Swainson. Green Bee-eater. Plumage green, beneath 

 whitish ; rump and tail blue ; crown of the head, eye-stripe, and 

 broad band across the neck black ; chin and eyebrows white. 8 

 inches long. Inhabits Africa. Zool. Illust. pi. 76. 



M. gularis, Shaw. Red-throated Bee-eater. Plumage black ; fore- 

 head and rump blue ; abdomen spotted with blue ; throat red ; 

 tail even at the end. Inhabits Africa. Shaw, viii. pi. 23. 



Gen. 2. ALCEDO. Lin. 



Bill long, straight, quadrangular, pointed, edged, and very rarely 

 depressed ; nostrils basal, lateral, pierced obliquely, almost 

 wholly closed by a naked membrane ; legs short, naked above 

 the knee ; exterior toe united to second joint, and the inte- 

 rior to the first joint of the middle toe. 



The birds of this genus are dispersed over the whole world, although only one 

 species is found in Europe. They are more remarkable for brilliancy of plumage 

 than elegance of shape. Their prevailing colours are blue, green, and orange. Their 

 flight is horizontal, and, notwithstanding the shortness of their wings, remarkably 

 strong and rapid. Most of them frequent rivers, and the vicinity of waters, and live 

 on fish, which they catch with singular art and dexterity, sometimes hovering over 

 the stream, when a shoal of small fishes is seen playing near the surface, at other 

 times waiting with attention on some low branch the approach of a single one, which 

 may happen to move in that direction, and in either case darting with rapidity on 

 their prey. The Kingfishers may be divided into two sections, as the tail is short or 

 elongated. 



A. ispida, Lin. The Kingfisher. Upper parts bluish green, marked 

 on the head and coverts of the wings with little spots of azure 

 blue ; back and rump blue ; a red patch of orange brown, con- 

 cealed by a white one, behind each eye ,- a streak of azure blue 

 from the bill to the wings ; throat and neck white ; lower parts 

 reddish. 7 inches long. Europe. B Selby, Illust. -pi. 40, fig. 1. 

 This species is the Halcyon of the ancients, which the poets feigned as occupying a 



floating nest, and calming adverse winds and stormy seas. 



