204 BIRDS OF INDIA, 



Fam. Meropid^. Bee-eaters. 



Bill lengthened, rather slender, slightly curved throughout, 

 sharp-pointed ; wing long and pointed ; tail generally even, 

 moderate or long, with the central feathers frequently elongated. 



The Bee-eaters form a group of beautiful birds peculiar to the 

 warm reo^ions of the old world, one or two extendinsr in summer 

 into the temperate parts. Green is the predominant colour of 

 their plumage, varied with blue, yellow, and chesnut. They feed 

 on insects, often on wasps and bees, and hence their common name 

 in English and other European languages, and they always capture 

 theui in their air. They iisually crush their insect-prey when they 

 seize it, killing it at once, and thus do not get stung. Their flight 

 is easy and graceful, and at times very rapid. They breed in holes, 

 in banks of rivers chiefly. In India they are popularly known 

 as Flycatchers. 



They have a doubly emarginated sternum, a short heart-shaped 

 tongue, a membranous stomach, short intestines, and cceca of the 

 same dimensions as in the CucuUikb, &c. Their skin is remarkably 

 thick. 



Swainson joined the Bee-eaters and Rollers in one family ; and 

 in a system of classification where groups are formed of pro- 

 gressively larger dimensions, perhaps both these families, and the 

 Motmots, might be included in one natural division, equivalent 

 to the Kingfishers, Jacamars, and PufF-birds, which some naturalists 

 class together. 



Gen. Merops, Lin. 



Char. — Bill very long, slender, slightly curved, depressed at base, 

 somewhat compressed for the rest of its length ; culmen keeled, 

 tip entire, shai'p, not bent down ; nostrils partially covered by a 

 tuft of bristles ; some small rictal bristles at the base of bill ; wings 

 long, pointed; 1st quill longest; tips of the lesser quills emar- 

 ginate ; tail somewhat lengthened, nearly even, the two centre 

 feathers occasionally lengthened ; tarsus very short ; feet short, 

 with the two lateral toes much syndactyle ; outer toe much longer 

 than the inner one ; claws acute, strong, well curved. 



