MEROPS ATHERTONI, (nobis). 



A%ure-ihroated Bee-eater. 



PLATE LVIII. 



M. supra viridis, pennis jugularibus valde elongatis nitide coeruleis, subtus flaves- 

 cens, cauda aequali. 



This beautiful, and we believe hitherto undescribed Bee-Eater, was sent 

 to us, with a variety of other skins, from India, by the late Lieutenant 

 J. Atherton of the 13th Light Dragoons, to whose memory we have 

 dedicated the species as a tribute justly due, for his exertions in ornitho- 

 logical pursuits. According to his notes which accompanied the bird, 

 it is stated to be very scarce and rare, inhabiting the thickest jungles in 

 the interior of India, and feeding by night, at which time it is very noisy, 

 repeating frequently the short cry of curr, cur?'. Like the Merops amictm 

 of M. Temminck *, the throat and under part of the neck is clothed 

 with long and stiff feathers, which form a kind of frill or gorget, reaching 

 to the upper part of the breast. These feathers are of a fine ccerulean 

 or verditer blue, varying in intensity and lustre, as exposed in different 

 positions to the light. The bill is brownish-black, considerably arched, 

 and strong at the base ; the forehead and crown verditer-blue ; the whole 

 of the upper part of the body is a bright sap-green, having a few of the 

 feathers tipped with verditer-blue ; the tail is square at the end, and rather 

 long ; the breast and belly are sulphur-yellow, streaked with green ; the 

 vent and under tail-coverts sulphur-yellow ; the legs are reddish-brown : 

 the claws are white, hooked and strong. The length of the specimen, the 

 only one we have yet met with, is about thirteen inches. 



* Planches Coloriees, pi. 310. 



