MEROPS urica. 

 Javanese Bee-eater. 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum productum, lave, subcurvatum, comprexsum ; apice acuta, hasi trigono; 

 culmine carinato. Pedes hrcvissimi, gressorii. Ala; attemccUce. 

 Typus Genericus M. apiaster. Linn., &c. 



Bill lengthened, smooth, slightly curved, terminating in a sharp point; 

 the base triangular, the sides much compressed, the back carinated. 

 Feet very short, gressorial. Wings pointed. 



Generic Type Merops apiaster. Linn., &c. 



Specific Character. 



M.viridis, infra palHdior ; capite, collo supra rufo ; mento,jugulo, sulphureis; 

 lined temporali ct torque colli nigris; tegminibus uropygioque cceruleis; 

 Cauda subfuixata. 



Green, beneath paler. Head and neck above rufous ; chin and throat sul- 

 phur; line under the eyes, and collar round the neck, black. Tail- 

 covers and rump pale blue. Tail slightly forked. 



Merops urica. Horsf'eild in Linn. Trans. 



JL HE true Bee-eaters are confined to the old world, principally 

 inhabiting Africa and Asia ; one species only, the European 

 Bee-eater, being known with any degree of certainty to be found 

 in Europe; and this is occasionally seen in England. They 

 are all gregarious, feeding on the wing, and in general migra- 

 tory. 



Most unwillingly I have again in this instance anticipated my 

 friend Dr. Horsfeild in describing this bird, which he found in 

 Java, and which I engraved after one sent from Ceylon, without 

 knowing it had also fallen under his observation. 



The figure is less than the natural size, which is nearly that 

 of our European species. Bill an inch and a half long from 

 the gape, and black. Nostrils small, basal, round, not sulcated, 

 ri. 8. 



