171 



MEEOPS VIRIDIS. 



(LITTLE GREEN BEE-EATER.) 



The Indian Bee-eater, Edw. Nat. Hist. Birds, iv. p. 183, pi. 183 (1751). 



Apiaster madagascariensis torquatus, Briss. Orn. iv. p. 549 (1760). 



Apiaster bengalensis torquatus, Briss. torn. cit. p. 552 (1760). 



Merops viridis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 180 (1766). 



Merops orientalis, Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl. p. xxxiii (1801). 



Merops oegyptius, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 13 (1823, nee Forsk.). 



Merops viridissimus, Swains. B. of W. Air. ii. p. 82 (1837). 



Merops indicus, Jerd. Madr. Journ. ser. 1, xi. p. 227(1840). 



Merops torquatus, Hodgs. in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 82 (1844). 



Merops ferrugeiceps, Hodgs. op. cit. p. 82 (1844). 



Phlothrus viridissimus (Sw.), Eeichenb. Merop. p. 66, pi. 445. figs. 3229, 3230 (1852). 



Merops lamarchi, Sclat. in Jard. Contr. Orn. ii. p. 124 (1854, nee Cuv.). 



Figuras notabiles. 



Edwards, I. c; D'Aubenton, PL Enl. 740; Levaill. Guep. pi. 10; Shelley, B. of Egypt, 

 pi. vii. fig. 2. 



Ad. supra laete psittacino-viridis, pileo et nucha vix rufescente aureo tinctis : dorso imo, uropygio et scapu- 

 laribus cum secundariis intimis viridi-cyaneo lavatis : remigibus intus viridi-cinnamomeis, primariis 

 nigro-fumoso et secundariis nigro terminatis, secundariis intimis dorso concoloribus : cauda sordide 

 viridi, plumis in pogonio interno cinnamomeo tinctis, rectricibus duabus centralibus valde elongatis et 

 angustatis : corpore subtus larte psittacino-viridi : taenia, transoculari et fascia jugulari angusta nigris : 

 guise lateribus cseruleis, et gula, centraliter vix caeruleo notata : abdomine easruleo et viridi-cseruleo 

 tincto : alis infra pallide fulvescentibus : rostro nigro : iride scarlatina : pedibus sordide plumbeis. 



Juv. vix sordidior et pallidior, gula, magis viridi-flava, et fascia jugulari angustiore. 



Adult Male (Egypt) . Upper parts brilliant green ; crown and nape tinged with rufescent golden ; lower 

 back, rump, scapulars, and inner secondaries tinged with verdigris or blue-green ; quills rufous on the 

 inner webs, and strongly tinged with green on the outer webs, the primaries dusky at the tips, and the 

 secondaries, except the innermost, broadly tipped with black ; innermost secondaries like the back ; 

 tail dull green, the inner edge of the webs dusky rufescent, the two central feathers much elongated ; 

 underparts bright green ; a black band through the eye, and a collar on the lower throat black ; a line 

 below the eye-band bright blue, and the throat and abdomen slightly tinged with blue and blue-green ; 

 under surface of the wings bright rufous ; bill blackish ; iris crimson ; legs dull plumbeous. Total length 

 about 11 inches, culm en 0'95, wing 3'65, lateral tail-feathers 295, central tail-feathers 5 - 35, tarsus 0'45. 



Adult Female (Egypt) . Resembles the male ; but the throat and underparts are green, and the line of blue 

 below the black eye-band is narrow. 



s 



