MEROPS Savignii, 

 Black -capped Bee-eater. 



Generic Character. — See PI. 8. 



Specific Character. 

 M. viridis, subtus albescens, uropygio cauddque cceruleis ; vertice, strigd 

 oculari, fasciuque latd collari nigris ; mento, superciliisque albis ; 

 rectricibus rnediis tlongatis. 



Green ; beneath whitish ; rump and tail blue ; crown of the head, 

 eye stripe, and broad band across the neck, black ; chin and 

 eye-brows white ; two middle tail feathers lengthened. 



This Bird was pointed out to rae by Professor Temminck 

 as described by Le Vaillant in his work on this family, under 

 the name here given ; on this authority, therefore, I have been 

 obliged to rest, for I have in vain turned over the catalogues 

 of all the public libraries in the metropohs, in the hope of 

 seeing the work, and ascertaining the fact. The book is 

 modern, and, though expensive, one of standard excellence; 

 but a princely fortune is necessary to purchase such a library 

 as a student should have access to. 



Total leno-th eioht inches and a half; size rather less than 

 the common bee-eater ; the crown in young birds is greenish, 

 in some a dull brown, and in others deep black, margined in 

 the front and sides of the head with a line of white ; the ears 

 black, uniting to a broad band across the neck of the same 

 colour, which is margined on the lower part with beautiful 

 sea blue; the nape of the neck, inner covers, and quill feathers, 

 greenish fawn colour; the lesser c^uills tipt with black; the 

 rump, tail, and outside of the quills next the body changeable 

 greenish blue ; the back and upper covers green beneath ; the 

 chin is white ; the body tinged with ^Teenish, and the under 

 tail covers with blue : the tail three inches long, and in such 

 specimens as have the two middle feathers lengthened, three 

 and a half; bill and feet black. 



Inhabits Sierra Leone, and other parts of Africa. 

 PI, 76. 



