AVES. 565 



from the bill passes below tlu- eyo to tiie margin of the blue ; bill bl;ii-k ; tcet 

 dusky yellow. Ten indies and a half long. Inhabits Asia. 



Merops erpthroptenis.— The Red-\W\ngcd Bee-Eater. Plate xxxvii. fiff. 

 II. Crown, neck, back, smaller wintf-coverts, and middle tail feathers, of 

 a rich green ; throat golden-yellow ; breast reddish-browu, blatk in the 

 centre, and a cobalt-blue line at its top ; abdomen and outer tail feathers 

 fawn-colour ; quills with a brnad patch of reddish brown ; bill black ; two 

 central tail feathers double the length of the others. Seven inches long. 

 Inhabits Java. 



Genus 2.— ALCEDO. — LiniKcus. 



Generic Character.— Bill long, straight, quadrangular, pointed, sometimes, 

 though rarely, depressed ; edges of the mandibles sharp ; nostrils basal, 

 lateral, oblique, iuid nearly closed by a naked membrane; legs short; tibia 

 naked; the exterior toe attached as far as the second joint, and the interior 

 as far iis the first joint of the intermediate toe. 



Alcedo ispida. — The Common Kingfisher. Plate xxxviii. fig. 1. Described, 

 vol. iii. p. 431. 



Genus 3.— DACELO— iemA. 



Generic Character. — Bill thick, strong, quadrangular, and conical ; mouth 

 with a wide gape, extending to the eyes; upper mandible longer than the 

 under one, and notched towards its point, on each side; nostrils oblong, 

 pKrtly closed by a feathered membrane ; tarsus shorter than the middle 

 toe; the external toe attached as far as the third joint oi the intermediate 

 one, and the internal toe as far as the first joint ; wings of medium length. 



Dacelo gigantea.— The Gigantic Dacelo. Plate xxix*. fig. 2. Brown above, 

 white beneath, with gray undulated bars on the abdomen ; feathers of the 

 head elongated; wing-coverts and rump green; tail with transverse black 

 bars. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits New Holland. 



ORDER VIII.-CHELIDONES. 



Bill very short, greatly depressed, and much dilated at the bjise ; tne 

 upper mandible curved at the point; legs short ; three toes before and ono 

 behind, which is frequently reversible ; front toes free, or connected at tlm 

 base by a short membrane ; claws greatly hooked ; wings long. 



Genus 1. — HIRUNDO Linnaeus. 



Generic Character. — Bill short, much depressed, and dilated at the base ; 

 upper mandible carinated and bent at the tip ; gape extending backvvaids to 

 tlie eyes ; nostrils basal, and oblong, partly covered by a membrane ; tarsus 

 : liort, toes and claws long and slender, three before and one behind ; the ex- 

 terior toe adliering as far as the first joint of the intermediate one; wings 

 long ; the first quill longest ; tail forked, eonsi>ting of twelve feathers. 



Ilirundo rustica. — The Chimney SwpJlow. Plate xxxviii. fig. 2. Describ- 

 ed, vol. iii. p. 278. 



J.'irundo urliica.—'Vhv Martin. Plate x>xvii'. lig. -'. Di^criiicd, vol. iii. 



2-y. 



•A n 3 



