150 VISCOUNT WALDBN 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 {I. c.) long since pointed out that examples of this Bee-eater from Ceylon, 

 Malacca, Java, and the Philippines did not specifically difiier. One or two recent 

 authors, by adopting the two titles oi philijtpinus and daudini, 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, Java, 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. I.e.) apparent 

 in Dr. Meyer's Luzon specimens. 



36. *Merops bicolor. (PI. XXVL fig. 1.) 



Apiaster ex FrancuB insula, Brisson, Om. iv. p. 543, no. 6, pi. 44. f. 2, " Francise ins." 



{1760). 

 Le Gufyier marron et bleu, Month. Hist. Nat. Ois. vi. p. 493, ex Briss, 

 Guepier de I'isle de France, D'Aubent. PI. Enl. 252. 



Merops americanus, L. S. Miiller', Suppl. p. 95, ex Buffon (D'Aubent.) (1776). 

 Merops bicolor, Bodd. Tabl. PI. Enl. p. 15, no. 252 (1783), ex D'Aubent. nee Vieillot. 

 Merops badius, Gm. S. 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. 273, no. 10, ex Lath. (1790). 



Le Guepier Latreille, Le Vaillant, Hist. Nat. Guep. p. 45, pl. 12, "Africa, Ceylon, Isl. of Prance ! " 

 "> Apiaster philippensis minor, Briss. torn. cit. p. 555, no. 10, pl. xliii. 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 M. quinticolor. Underneath the plumage closely resem- 

 bles that on the under surface of M. sumatranus. Raffles, =Jf. 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 M. badius, 

 Gm. The same parts in these Philippine specimens are bright chestnut. They are 

 without doubt the true Merops badius, Gm., founded on Brisson's Ouespier de I'isle de 

 France. On this Brissonian species all the titles given above were directly or indirectly 

 based. 



' MUIler, 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. 



