1NSESSORES. 

 FISSIROSTRES. 



BEE-EATER. 



217 



MEROPIDJE. 





THE BEE-EATER. 



Merops apiaster. 



Merops apiaster, The Bee-eater, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 339. 



Common MONTAGU, Ornith. Diet. 



M The BEWICK, Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 150. 



FLEM. Brit. An. p. 90. 



Common SELBY, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 114. 



JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 156. 



TJie GOULD, Birds of Europe, pt. ii. 



Guepier vulgaire, TEMM. Man. d'Ornith. vol. i. p. 420. 



MEROPS. Generic Characters. Beak rather long, slender, slightly curved, 

 pointed, the culraen elevated, the edges of the mandibles cutting, entire. Nostrils 

 basal, lateral, oval, partly concealed by hairs directed forwards. Feet with the tarsi 

 short, toes small, three in front, one behind, the outer toe connected to the middle 

 toe as far as the second joint ; the inner toe connected as far as the first joint. 

 Wings long and pointed ; the second quill-feather the longest in the wing. 



No specimen of the Common Bee-eater of Africa appears 

 to be recorded to have been killed in England till the 



