228 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



3. Genus EURYSTOMUS, VieiU. Analyse, p. 37 (1816). 



1. EURTSTOMUS ORIENTALIS {Linn.). 



Coracias orientalt's, LiNN. Sjst. Nat. I, p. 159 (1766). 



Eurystomus fuscicollis, et cyanocoUis, ViElLL. 



Buff. PI. Enl. 619 ; Le Vaill. Ois. de Parad. Plate XXXVI. 



Specimens of this species from the Phihppines, are in the collection 

 of the Expedition. 



Mr. Peale notices it as follows : 



" Our specimens of this beautiful bird were obtained in the Island 

 of Mindanao. We observed them to frequent the banks of shady 

 streams which run through the forests, sitting quietly on horizontal 

 dead branches of trees at a considerable elevation, and watching for 

 passing insects, which they caught on the wing. Their appearance 

 when sitting on a branch, and their flight was so much like that of 

 a kingfisher [Alcedo), that one of our specimens was thus shot by 

 mistake." 



Dr. Pickering also records the occurrence of this bird in the same 

 Island, and mentions that " a specimen when wounded uttered a harsh 

 cry, similar to that of some species of parrots." 



4. Family MEROPID^. 



1. Genus MEROPS, Lmn. Syst. Nat. I, p. 182 (1766). 

 1. Merops philippinus. Linn. 



3Jerops philipplnus, LiNN. Syst. Nat. I, p. 183 (1766). 



Buff. PI. Enl. 57 ; Le Vaill. Guep. Plate XIV. 



This species was observed by the naturalists of the Expedition in 



