BEE-EATER. 127 



6— SUPERCILIOUS BEE-EATER. 



Merops superciliosus, Ind.Orn.i. 271. Lin.'i. 183. Gm.Lin.'u 461. 

 Apiaster Madagascarienbis, Bris. iv. 546. t. 42. 1. 7d.8vo.ii. 197. 

 Guepier de Madagascar, Patirich, Buf. vi. 495. PL enl. 259. 

 Supercilious Bee-Eater, Gen. Syn. ii. 673. Shaio's Zool. viii. 164. 



LENGTH eleven inches and one-third. Bill one inch and three 

 quarters long, and black ; on the forehead a transverse greenish white 

 band, passing over each eye ; another of the same colour from the 

 base of the lower mandible, under the eye, both tending towards the 

 hindhead ; between these the parts are black, and in the middle of 

 this the eye is placed ; the upper parts of the head dull greenish 

 chestnut, varying in different reflections of light ; neck behind, and 

 upper parts of the body dull green, lighter towards the rump ; the 

 greater wing coverts green, margined within with brownish-ash- 

 colour, the throat yellowish white, below chestnut ; under part of 

 the body green, paler than above, especially near the vent; quills 

 green, many of them black at the ends, the first shortest; tail dull 

 green, the inner webs of all but the two middle feathers cinereous, 

 the shafts brown above, and whitish beneath ; the two middle ones 

 twice the length of the rest, and pointed ; legs brown. 



Inhabits Madagascar ; called by the natives Patirich Tirich ; is 

 common about the Manioca Plantations, in Mozambique, which the 

 bees frequent; said also to be found in some parts of Russia, and to 

 breed about the mouths of the Rivers Volga and Jaick, as well as 

 in some high banks about the Caspian Sea. 



A. — Autre Guepier de Madagascar, Buf. vi. 496. Gen. Syn. ii. 674. 4. parag. 2d. 



This is of the same size and colours, but less distinct; the bill 

 weaker, and the two middle feathers not longer than the others; the 

 stripe on the sides of the head, and the rump, sea-green. 



