Bee-eaters.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



299 



other birds, like the toucans ; this we believe, as 

 both have the same long and leather-like tongue." 



The present species is green above, paler be- 

 neath 5 the ear-coverts are black, varied, and tipped 

 with bright, blue. 



Family MEROPIDiE (BEE-EATERS). 



Mr. Swainson (< Classification of Birds,' vol. ii.) is 

 of opinion that the Meropidae, or Bee-eaters, suc- 

 ceed the swallows, and says of the Merops Apiaster, 

 that it annually visits Italy in flocks of twenty or 

 thirty, and may be seen skimming over the vine- 

 yards and olive plantations with a flight much re- 

 sembling the. swallow, though more direct and less 

 rapid. He observes that their bill is indeed consi- 

 derably longer and more slender, but remarks that 

 this difference is softened down by the intervention 

 of the genus Eurystoraus, containing the swallow- 

 rollers of India, Africa, and Australia, which have 

 this organ very short. To these, he thinks, succeed 

 the true rollers, Coracias (Linn,), which arrive in 

 Italy at the same time with the bee-eaters, and 

 associate also in small flocks. " These two genera 

 of rollers," continues Mr. Swainson, "are so indis- 

 solnbly united, that nothing but the strongest pre- 

 judice in favour of a preconceived theory could ever 

 have induced certain naturalists (whose labours in 

 other respects have been of much advantage to 

 science) to have placed them in two different 

 orders. The whole structure of the Rollers, their 

 lengthened pointed wings, and their firm and often 

 forked tail, at once induces the idea that they feed 

 upon the wing ; while their very short legs, scarcely 

 longer than their hind-toe, might have shown their 

 incapacity to alight and walk, like the crows, upon 

 the ground ; but this question is at once decided 

 by acknowledge of their economy, which, from per- 

 sonal observation, we have, every reason to believe 

 is much like that of the Bee-eaters. The interven- 

 tion of the Rollers at once lessens the abrupt transi- 

 tion, which would otherwise be apparent, from the 

 perfect-footed Swallows to the zygodactyle Bee- 

 eaters ; and we are thus prepared for all those birds 

 whose toes, as it were, are soldered together like 

 those of the Meropidae. Here perhaps we may 

 notice that most, beautiful and rare genus Nycti- 

 ornis, or Night-feeder, as being in all probability 

 that particular link by which Nature connects this 

 family with the Trogons. 



1360.— The Bee-eater 



(Merops apiaster). Bill very long and slender; 

 slightly curved, compressed, sharp at the tip ; wings 

 long and pointed ; outer and middle toes connected 

 as far as the first joint (zygodactylous). 



This brilliant species, which occasionally wanders 

 as far westward as the British Isles, is a summer 

 visitant to the southern and eastern provinces of 

 Europe ; it is common in Sicily, Italy, Spain, Greece, 

 Turkey, &c, whence it retires into Africa on the 

 approach of winter. In Spain, which it enters by 

 way of Gibraltar, it appears during the first week in 

 April, in flocks of forty or fifty, sometimes at consi- 

 derable elevation, at other times skimming low, and 

 littering a shrill whistle heard at a considerable dis- 

 tance. They thus give chase to various insects, 

 bees, wasps, beetles, grasshoppers, and butterflies, 

 catching them on the wing with great address. Bee- 

 eaters haunt rivers and streams, and may be seen 

 eoursing up and down in pursuit of their prey, and 

 glittering in the sun with metallic effulgence. 

 They abound on the rivers Don, Volga, and Yaik, in 

 Southern Russia, and are common in Syria and 

 Arabia. In their habits these birds much resemble 

 the kingfisher: they breed in holes, which they 

 burrow in steep banks overhanging the river, at the 

 extremity of which, in a nest, according to Selby, 

 composed of moss, &c, the eggs are laid : these are 

 of a pure white, and from five to seven in number. 

 It is observed also that, like the kingfisher, which 

 recasts the bones and scales of fishes, these birds 

 disgorge the wing-cases and other indigestible parts 

 of "their insect food rolled up in the shape of small 

 pellets. 



From the earliest times the bee-eater has been 

 notorious for thinning the hive of its industrious in- 

 habitants. Aristotle notices this circumstance ; and 

 Virgil directs that the beehives must be secured 

 from the lizard, the swallow, and the. bee-eater : — 



" Absint et picti sqnalentia terga lacerti 

 Pinguibus a stabulis ; Mcropesque aliauque volucres, 

 Et manibus Progne pectus signata cruentis; 

 Omnia nam late v.istant: ipsasque vohintes 

 Ore ferunt, dulcem nidis immitibus escam." 



Oeorg., lib. iv. 



According to Latham this bird is called in Egypt 

 Melino-orghi, or Bee's enemy. It is there eaten for 

 food, as Ray states it is in Italy, where he saw it 

 sold in the markets. The bee-eater is not only found 

 in Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa ; it is also a 

 native of the Cape of Good Hope. The colouring 

 of this bird is as follows : — Forehead yellowish 



white, merging into bluish green ; back of the neck 

 and upper part of the back rich chestnut, passing 

 into brownish amber yellow. Ear-coverts black; 

 wings greenish, with an olive tinge, and a large 

 band of brown across the middle. Qaill-feathers 

 fine greenish blue, ending in black. Throat bright 

 yellow, bounded by a line of black. The under 

 parts generally glossy greenish blue. Irides red. 

 Length, eleven inches. 



1361. — The Red-breasted Night-feeder 



(Nyctiornis amictus). Bill considerably curved and 

 very long ; the ridge with a parallel groove on each 

 side ; tarsi very short. The night-feeder is a native 

 of India ; but we have no account of its habits, ex- 

 cept that it feeds on insects, and, as its name de- 

 notes, is crepuscular or nocturnal. The general 

 plumage i? green ; the crown in adults is lilac ; the 

 front of the throat and breast, bright red. Total 

 length, thirteen inches. 



1362.— The Rollkr 



(Coracias garrula). Bill moderate, straight, the 

 sides broad, but much compressed ; tip of the upper 

 mandible bent over that of the lower ; nostrils basal, 

 oblique, linear ; gape very wide, with the edges 

 bristled ; tarsi short ; toes cleft to their base. 



The roller is only an accidental visitor to England, 

 where, however, it has been several times killed ; 

 but there is some reason to think that formerly, 

 when our island offered extensive forests for its 

 shelter, that it was not uncommon, for it has a 

 name, " y Rholydii," in the ancient British language. 

 It is the Pica Marina and Pica Merdaria of the 

 Italians ; Rollier of the French ; Birk-Heher, Blaue- 

 Racke, and Mandelkrahe of the Germans ; Spransk 

 Kraka, Blakraka, and Allekraka of the Swedes ; 

 Ellekrage of Brunnich. 



On the continent this bird has a very extensive 

 range. In Europe, it is found in Denmark, Sweden 

 (where it arrives with the cuckoo), and the southern 

 provinces of Russia ; is more common in Germany 

 than France, where, however, it has been found in 

 Provence ; and it has been taken at Gibraltar. In 

 Italy, according to Prince C. L. Bonaparte, it is 

 rather common, arriving in the spring and depart- 

 ing in September. In Malta and Sicily it is exposed 

 for sale in the shops of poulterers, and is said to 

 have the taste of a turtle-dove. In the Morea it is 

 considered a delicacy in the autumn, when it is fat 

 with its summer food. It has been captured at 

 Aleppo, and at Trebizond and Erzeroum. It visits 

 the countries between the Black and the Caspian 

 Seas ; and Dr. von Siebold and M. Burger include 

 it among the birds of Japan. In North Africa it is 

 found from Morocco to Egypt ; flocks were seen by 

 Adanson at Senegal, and he concluded that they 

 passed the winter there Dr. Andrew Smith records 

 it among the birds of South Africa. 



The roller is wild, shy, restless, and fierce, fre- 

 quenting, by way of preference, deep forests of oak 

 and birch, where its harsh cry may be often heard. 

 In the ' Annals of Natural History ' for 1839, it is 

 stated by a traveller in Asia Minor", that the roller, 

 which was most common throughout the south and 

 west parts of the country wherever the magpie was 

 not found (for it was not seen in the same district 

 with that bird), was observed to fall through the air 

 like a tumbler pigeon. Temminck states that it 

 makes its nests in the holes of trees, where it lays 

 from four to seven eggs of a lustrous white. M. 

 Vieillot states that in Malta, where trees are scarce, 

 the bird builds on the ground. In Barbary it has 

 been observed to form its nest on the banks of the 

 Sheliff, Booberak, and other rivers ; and Pennant 

 remarks that where trees are wanting, it makes it in 

 clayey banks. These last modes of nidiii cation 

 bring it very close to the bee-eaters and kingfishers, 

 whose eggs quite resemble those of the roller in 

 colour and shape, and only vary in size. The male 

 takes his turn to sit. The food is very varied, 

 according to Temminck, who enumerates moles, 

 crickets, cockchafers, grasshoppers, millipedes, and 

 other insects, slugs, and worms. Gould states that 

 it feeds on worms, slugs, and insects generally. 

 Yarrell informs us that the food consists of worms, 

 slugs, insects in their various stages, and berries. 

 The colouring of this species is as follows:— Bill 

 black towards the point, becoming brown at the 

 base with a few bristles ; irides of two circles yel- 

 low and brown ; . head, neck, breast, and belly 

 various shades of verditer blue changing to pale 

 green ; shoulders azure blue, back reddish brown, 

 rump purple, wing-primaries dark bluish black^ 

 edged lighter, tail-feathers pale greenish blue, the 

 outer ones tipped with black, those in the middle 

 also much darker in colour ; legs eddish brown ; in 

 old males the outer tail-feathers are somewhat 

 elongated. 



Adult females differ but little from the males; 

 young birds do not attain their brilliant colour till 

 the second year. Length, about thirteen inches. 



1363. — The Abyssinian Roller 



(Coracias Abyssinica). This species of Roller is a 

 native of Abyssinia, and in general habits resembles 

 the preceding, tenaniing woods and forests. The 

 colouring is as follows :— White round the bill ; body 

 aquamarine green ; back and wing-coverts cinna- 

 mon colour ; shoulders, rump, and quills, blue ; tail 

 green, the two middle feathers blue ; two long loose 

 processes terminating the two external quilk. 



1364. — The Oriental Swallow-Roller 



(Eurystomus Orientalis). This genus is closely 

 allied to Coracias, but the bill is shorter and wider, 

 and the wings longer than in that form. The Ori- 

 ental Swallow-Roller is a native of Java, the south 

 of New Holland, and all the Polynesian Islands. It 

 is the Naytay-kin of the natives of the neighbour- 

 hood of Sidney, Dollar-bird of the colonists, and 

 Tiong-ba-tu of the inhabitants of Sumatra ; Coracias 

 Orientalis, Linn. It is a bird of rapid and vigorous 

 flight, and feeds upon various kinds of insects. Its 

 general colour is aquamarine green; the throat and 

 point of the wing are azure ; the quill-feathers 

 black, with a white bar ; tail black, j 



1365. — The Green Leptosome 

 (Leptosomus viridis). From its zygodactyle feet 

 (two toes before and two behind), this bird, with 

 others of the genus, has been placed, by most 

 waters on ornithology, in the family of the Cuckoos 

 (CuculidiB). Mr. Swainson, however, regards it as 

 one of the forms of the Meropidae, and thus charac- 

 terises it :— Bill about the length of the head, 

 robust. The upper mandible curved and notched 

 near the tip. Nostrils oblong, oblique ; the mar- 

 gins elevated, naked, and placed towards the middle 

 of the upper mandible. Feet short. Toes in pairs, 

 as in Tamatia. Wings lengthened, pointed ; the 

 first and second quills longest. Tail moderate, 

 even. (Sw.) 



The present bird is a native of Africa, and is 

 found in Caffraria and on the coast of Zanzebar. It 

 inhabits the forests, feeding on insects, and also, as 

 is stated, upon fruits ; but we know little of its 

 habits. 



Family TROGONHXE (TROGONS). 



The Trogons constitute a family of birds, the mem- 

 bers of which are peculiar to the hotter regions of 

 America and of India, and its adjacent islands, 

 Ceylon, Java, Borneo, Sumatra, &c, one species 

 only having as yet been discovered in Africa. 

 Among the most conspicuous of the feathered 

 tribes for beauty and brilliancy of plumage, the 

 Trigons stand confessedly pre-eminent. The me- 

 tallic golden green of some species is of dazzling 

 effulgence ; in others less gorgeous : the delicate 

 pencillings of the plumage, and the contrasted hues 

 of deep scarlet, black, green, and brown, produce a 

 rich and beautiful effect. 



It is difficult to convey the idea of a bird, or 

 indeed of any natural object, by description solely; 

 the pictorial specimens, however, in the group 

 Fig. 1366, will render the details connected with 

 the family features of the present group easily in- 

 telligible. 



The Trogons are zygodactyle, that is, they have 

 their toes in pairs, two before and two behind, like 

 parrots and woodpeckers ; the tarsi are short and 

 feeble, the beak is stout, and the gape wide ; the 

 general contour of the body is full and round, and 

 the head large ; the plumage is dense, soft, and 

 deep; the wings are short Dut pointed, the quill- 

 feathers being rigid ; the tail is long, ample, and 

 graduated, its outer feathers decreasing in length; 

 in some species the tail-coverts are elongated, so as 

 to form a pendent plumage of loose feathers. 



Of solitary habits, the Trogons (or Couroucous) 

 frequent the most seciuded portions of dense forests, 

 remote from the abodes of man. For hours toge- 

 ther they sit motionless on some branch, uttering 

 occasionally a plaintive melancholy cry, especially 

 while the female is brooding on her eggs. Indif- 

 ferent during the day to every object, listless or 

 slumbering on their perch, they take no notice of 

 the presence of an intruder, and may indeed be 

 often so closely approached as to be knocked down 

 by a stick; the bright glare of the sun obscures 

 their sight, and they wait for evening, the dusk of 

 twilight being their season of activity. 



Fruits, insects and their larvae, constitute their 

 food. Formed, most of them at least, for rapid but 

 not protracted flight, they watch from their perch 

 the insects flitting by, and dart after them with 

 surprising velocity, returning after their short chase 

 to the same point of observation. Some, however, 

 are almost exclusively frugivorous. Many species 

 are certainly migratory. M. Natterer observes, re- 

 specting the Pavonine Trogon (Trogon pavoninus, 

 Spixj, which inhabits, during a certain season of the 

 year, therhigh woods along the upper part of the 

 Amazon and Rio Negro, that he found the contents 



2Q2 



