THE BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER. 67 



broader line of bluish white ; forehead, crown, nape and back dull green 

 with a coppery tinge ; rump and upper tail-coverts bright blue ; central 

 tail-feathers blue, elongated, the projecting portion black ; the other tail- 

 feathers blue, the inner webs more or less dusky ; tertiaries bluish green ; 

 primaries and secondaries green on the outer webs, more or less rufous on 

 the inner ones, all tipped with black ; wing-coverts green, brighter at the 

 edges ; chin yellow ; throat chestnut ; lower plumage green with a rufous 

 tinge ; under tail-coverts pale blue ; under wing-coverts bright buff. 



Bill black ; iris bright red ; eyelids grey ; mouth flesh-colour ; legs 

 plumbeous ; claws horn-colour. 



Length 12 inches, tail 5' 7, wing 5'5, tarsus *5, bill from gape 2. The 

 female is of about the same size. 



M. sumatranus from the Malay peninsula belongs to this genus, the 

 members of which have the central tail-feathers lengthened. It has the 

 head and back chocolate-colour and the throat blue. 



The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is found over the whole of British Burmah, 

 being very abundant in Arrakan and Pegu and somewhat rare in Tenas- 

 serim. It appears to be partially migratory in Tenasserim ; but in Pegu 

 I have observed it during the greater portion of the year, and I think it is 

 resident. 



This bird has a wide range, being found in the Indo-Burmese countries 

 and over the whole peninsula of India with Ceylon and the Andaman 

 Islands. It is met with in China, Cochin China, Siam, the Malay peninsula, 

 Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, the Philippines and some of the further 

 islands. < 



This Bee-eater is usually seen in large flocks, flying backwards and 

 forwards in graceful sweeps for long periods without resting, and catching 

 its insect prey entirely in the air. It is particularly addicted to large 

 rivers, in the perpendicular banks of which it digs its nest-hole, which is 

 a roomy chamber at the end of a tunnel three to seven feet in length ; 

 and the eggs are four or five in number. Immense numbers of these 

 birds usually nest together, each pair, however, having its own gallery 

 and nest. 



