44 



trance to which is contracted, by a plaster of clay, so 

 as barely to allow a passage. 



When disturbed she hisses like a snake. 



The nut-hatch feeds upon beetles and nuts, the 

 latter after securing in a chink, it cracks by a stroke 

 of its bill. 



GENUS XII. 



MEROPS. 



Bill quadrangular, a little incurvated, sharp pointed; 

 tongue slender, in some species fringed at the end ; 

 toes three forward, one backward, the outer toe some- 

 what connected with the middle one. 



1. APIASTER. BEE-EATER. 



M . thalassina, gulaflava, dorsoferrugineo-flavescente, 

 fascia oculari niyra, rectridbus mediis elongato- 

 acuminatis. Shaw. 



The bill is black; the base of the upper man- 

 dible covered with dirty white feathers ; irides vivid 

 red ; the forehead is of a blue-green colour ; the 

 hind parts of the head and neck are chesnut ; the back 

 and scapulars are fulvous ; the throat yellow ; under 

 parts, as are also the tail coverts, and rump blue- 



