Order 2. 



PASSERIN.E. 



197 



The Promeropses (Prnmerops, Brisson), — 

 Are not crested, but possess a very long tail ; their tongue, furcate and extensile, enables them to suck 

 the nectar of flowers, like the Humming-birds and Sun-birds. 

 [There are many species, found only in the warm regions of the eastern liemisphere.] 



The Epimachus, Cuv., — 

 Consists of Birds, which, with the beak of the Hoopoes and Promeropses, combine velvety or scale- 

 like feathers, which partly cover the nostrils, as in the Birds- of- Paradise; they inhabit also the same 

 countries; and have equally gorgeous plumage. The males have even tufts of lengthened feathers, 

 more or less produced, upon the flanks. 



The Superb Epimachus (Ujnipa magna, Lin.). — Black, with a graduated tail, three times longer than the body ; 

 the feathers on the flanks elongated, turned up, and frizzled, with the edges of a burnished steel-blue ; and most 

 magnificent coloured glosses on the plumage generally. 



Naturalists have distinguished the square-tailed species, or 



The Ptiloris, Swainson, — 

 Such as the Twelve-wired Epimachus (Ep. albits ; Paradistea alba, Blum.), which was long ranged among the 

 Birds-of-Paradise, on account of the loiig bunches of white plumes which decorate its flanks, the stems of them 

 being prolonged into six barbless filaments on each side. The body is usually violet-black, and the feathers on 

 the bottom of the breast have an edging or border of emerald green. Ep. magnificus, Cuv., and Ep. regius. 

 Lesson, are two other superb species of this subdivision. 



The second and smaller principal division of the Passerincc consists of Birds wherein the 

 outer toe is nearly as long as the middle one, and connected to it as far as the second joint. 

 We make but one group of them, that of 



The Syndactyli, 



Long since divided into five genera, which we retain. [None of them are modified upon the 

 distinct type of the PasserincE.^ 



The Bee-eaters (Merops, Lin.) — 

 Have a lengthened beak, triangular at its base, slightly arcuated, and sharp-pointed. Their sternum 

 (fig. 97) is doubly emarginated behind: [they have a membranaceous stomach, and no cceca; a short 

 and heart-shaped tongue, and very thick skin.] Their long and pointed wings, and short feet, render 



their flight similar to that of a Swallow. They pursue insects in 

 flocks, and particularly Bees and "Wasps, by which it is remarkable 

 that they are never stung [seizing the insect and at once crushing it 

 by the snap of their powerfully compressive beak : are peculiar to the 

 eastern hemisphere, and nearly allied to the Kingfishers and Rollers. 



These birds have brilliant plumage, and tail variously shaped, but gene- 

 rally with the uropygial feathers elongated : they excavate deep holes in 

 banks, like the Kingfishers, and lay similar spherical polished white eggs, six 

 or eight in number; the young retaining their first plumage till the second 

 autunni. 



Of numerous species, there is one common in the south of Europe during 

 simimer, but rare in the latitude of Britain, which it seldom visits (M. apias- 

 ter, Lin.): another {M. persicus, Pallas), visits the south-east of Europe. 

 These birds often watch their prey from the summit of trees, to which they 

 return after skimming about for a minute or two. 



It is necessary to distinguish from them 



The Nyctiornis, Gould, — 

 Which have shorter beaks, and softer and denser plumage, loose and puffy upon the throat. Their 

 habits are crepuscular or nocturnal, and their distribution is confined to Asia. 

 Three or four species are known, which are very noisy during their time of activity]. 



The Bee-eaters are represented in America by 



The Motmots (Prionifes, Illiger), — 

 Which have the same feet and port [their tarsi being however longer], but difl^er by .•» stronger biU 



Fig. 97. — Sternum of Bee-eater. 



