150 VISCOUNT WALDEN ON THE BIRDS 
the coppery hues being omitted. Le Vaillant’s own plate is equally inaccurate ; but in 
the letterpress he describes the species sufficiently to leave little doubt that the Philip- 
pine bird was before him ; and he states that he described from three examples in Paris 
collections, brought from the Philippines by Sonnerat and Poivre. Still it is curious 
that Le Vaillant likewise figures the bird with an even tail. 
Dr. Cabanis (J. c.) long since pointed out that examples of this Bee-eater from Ceylon, 
Malacca, Java, and the Philippines did not specifically differ. One or two recent 
authors, by adopting the two titles of philippinus and daudint, according to the habitat 
of the individuals, seem, however, to disagree with Dr. Cabanis’s conclusions. Examples 
obtained in Luzon by Dr. Meyer, when compared with a large series from Ceylon, 
India, Upper Burma, Malacca, Sumatra, Ji ava, and Celebes, do not exhibit the slightest 
specific differences, nor do their dimensions vary appreciably ; nor is even the somewhat 
darker hue of green said to be possessed by the Philippine bird (Cab. /.c.) apparent 
in Dr. Meyer’s Luzon specimens. 
36. *Merrops Bicotor. (Pl. XXVI. fig. 1.) 
Apiaster ex Francie insula, Brisson, Orn. iv. p. 543, no. 6, pl. 44. f. 2, “ Francie ins.” 
(1760). 
Le Guépier marron et bleu, Montb. Hist. Nat. Ois. vi. p. 493, ex Briss. 
Guépier de Visle de France, D’Aubent. Pl. Enl. 252. 
Merops americanus, L. 8. Miiller*, Suppl. p. 95, ex Buffon (D’Aubent.) (1776). 
Merops bicolor, Bodd. Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 15, no. 252 (1783), ex D’Aubent. nec Vieillot. 
Merops badius, Gm. 8. N. i. p. 462, no. 10 (1788), ex Briss. 
Chesnut bee-eater, Lath. Synop. i. p. 677, no. 9, ex Briss. 
Merops castaneus, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 278, no. 10, ex Lath. (1790). 
Le Guépier Latreille, Le Vaillant, Hist. Nat. Guép. p. 45, pl. 12, “ Africa, Ceylon, Isl. of France!” 
? Apiaster philippensis minor, Briss. tom. cit. p. 555, no. 10, pl. xlii. f. 2, “ Philippine Isl.” (1760). 
? Merops ornatus, Lath., v. Martens, J. f. O. 1866, p. 17. 
Hab. Luzon, April; Negros, March (Meyer). 
The four examples obtained are in perfect plumage. Seen from above, they exactly 
correspond in colouring with WM. guinticolor. Underneath the plumage closely resem- 
bles that on the under surface of MZ. swmatranus, Raffles, =. cyanopygius, Less., of 
Sumatra, Malacca, and Borneo. The head, nape, and back of the latter species are 
dark chocolate; and it has been hitherto identified by general consent with JZ. badius, 
Gm. The same parts in these Philippine specimens are bright chestnut. They are 
without doubt the true Werops badius, Gm., founded on Brisson’s Guespier de Visle de 
France. On this Brissonian species all the titles given above were directly or indirectly 
based. 
‘ Miller, for some unaccountable reason, bestowed the title cited, although he states that the species dwells 
in the Isle of France. This title has priority; but few will adopt it. 
