16 PICARI4# 
somewhat shorter than the secondaries, the fourth longest, the third slightly shorter than the 
latter, The rectrices long, broad, truncated, slightly emarginate. 
The birds of this genus inhabit the dense jungles and vicinity of forests, are generally 
seen singly or in couples and feed on insects (bees, etc.) which they capture chiefly on the 
wing. These beautiful birds are at times very noisy, uttering repeatedly their hoarse note. 
Probably resident all the year, they breed in March and April; one species (N. athertoni) 
is said to lay its eggs in the holes of trees. 
Geographical Distribution. The genus is confined to India and the Malay Archipelago. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES 
1. Long throat-feathers blue, head bluish green N. ATHERTONI. 
2. Long throat-feathers scarlet: fore part of the crown lilac . . . . . . . . . . N, AMICTUS. 
1. Nyctiornis athertoni Jardine & Selby. (Plate, Figs. 8, 8a.) 
Nyetiornis athertoni Jardine & Selby, Ill. Ornith. Vol. 2, pl. 58 (1825-43) (« India»); cf. Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. 
Mus. Vol. 17, p. 88). 
Bucta nipalensts Hodgson, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. Vol. 5, p. 361 (1836) (Nepal). 
Nyctiornis caeruleus Swainson, Classif. of Birds, Vol. 2, p. 333 (1837). 
Nyctiornis amherstiana Royle, Himal. Bot. Vol. 1, p. 76 (1839). 
Alcemerops paleazureus Lesson, Rev. Zool. 1840, p. 262. 
Merops cyanogularis Jerdon, Madr. Journ. Vol. 11, p. 229 (1830) (« Coonoor Pass, Neilgherries « South-India »). 
Fig. notab, Jardine & Selby, Ill. Ornith. Vol. 2, pl. 58; Gould, Birds Asia, Vol. 1, pl. 37; Dresser, 
Monogr. Merop. pl. 3 (1884). 
Hab. Southern and Central India; Himalayas, from the Dhoon to Assam, south to Tenasserim, east to 
* Siam and Cambodja. 
2. Nyctiornis amicta (Temminck). 
Merops amictus Temminck, Pl. Col. (livr. 52), pl. 310(1824) (Sumatra) 1); cf. Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. Vol. 17, 
p-90 (1892). 
Nyctiornis malaccensis Cabanis & Heine, Mus. Heinean, Vol. 2, p. 133 (1860) (Malacca). 
Fig. notab. Temminck, P]. Col. No. 310 (1824); Swainson, Zool. Ill. (2), Vol. 2, pl. 56 (1831); Gould, 
Birds Asia, Pt. 2, no. 3 (1850); Dresser, Monogr. Merop. pls. 1, 2 (1884). 
Hab. Southern Tenasserim, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo. 
1) Some specimens from the mountains round Batang Koewis are distinguished by their very stout bills. 
