68 BIEDS OF TENASSERIM. 



Again I saw them in the Thatone plains in November, but 

 at no other place, and on no other occasion did I meet with 

 them in Tenasserim, though they are common enough towards 

 the south of the Malay Peninsula. — W. D.] 



119.— Merops leschenaulti, Vieill. (16). 



(Karennee, Earns.) Pahpoon ; E.-poo ; Moulmein ; Meefcan ; Karope ; Am- 

 herst ; Tavoy ; Pabjin ; Tenasserim Town ; Palaw-ton-ton : Bankasoon. 



Generally distributed throughout the province in all well- 

 wooded localities to an elevation not exceeding 3,000 feet. 



[The only place where I found this species abundant was 

 up the head waters of the Pakchan. There immense numbers 

 were perched about in company with Dendrochelidon, &c, on 

 the bamboos overhanging the stream. Other favorite resorts of 

 this bird, were the tin mines ; these are usually surrounded by 

 forest, and have numbers of dead trees dotted about them, 

 and the old abandoned pits usually contain stagnant or semi- 

 stagnant water, which apparently attract numbers of insects, 

 dragon flies, &c, so that there is an abundance of insect food 

 about such places, which are consquently frequented by Bee- 

 eaters, Tree, and other Swifts, Rollers, &c. 



These birds never eat the wings of butterflies. You see 

 one of them swoop on to a butterfly close at hand ; then you 

 hear a little click of the bill, and as the bird flies off the pair 

 of wings come slowly fluttering down to the ground. — W. D.] 



Lord Tweeddale remarks (B. of B., p. 27) that the Malaccaa 

 habitat of this species is doubtful. Davison shot two speci- 

 mens on Penang Island. 



122.— Nyctiornis athertoni, Jard. and Selb. (10). 



(Karen Sills, Tonglioo, Earns.) Pahpoon ; Thatone 5 Salween River j 

 Thouugsha, Gyue Eiver ; Kanee ; Khyin ; Amherst. 



Sparingly distributed throughout the better-wooded and 

 less elevated parts of the northern and central portions of the 

 province. 



[The Blue-bearded Bee-Eater I met with only at Amherst and 

 northwards of that place ; it was nowwhere very common, and 

 only occurred in the better-wooded portions of the country. 

 As a rule it prefers to keep to the forest, but it occasionally 

 wanders into gardens, and at Amherst I shot two specimens 

 off a large peepul tree growing some considerable distance 

 from any forest. 



I have not met with this species south of Amherst, though 

 it possibly does occur somewhat further south. — W. D-] 



