170 HOODED BEE-EATER. 



islands 3 its glossy plumage often contributing to 

 the ornaments of the feathered mantles worn by 

 the chiefs and persons of distinction. In the British 

 Museum is a mantle of this kind, appearing to be 

 wholly composed of the feathers of this bird, which 

 is esteemed not less for its song than its plumage, 

 having, according to our late voyagers, a remark- 

 ably sweet note : they also add, that it is a delici- 

 ous food, and majr be considered as the greatest 

 luxury afforded by the woods of New Zealand. 



HOODED BEE-EATER. 



Merops cucullatus. M.fusco-plumbeus, subtus albidusfusco linea- 

 tus, cucullo verticali per oculos ducto nigro. Lath. bid. orn, suppL 



Dusky lead-coloured Bee-Eater^ beneath whitish with dusky 

 lines ; the crown of the head black, including the eyes. 



Hooded Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppL 2. 



Very correctly described by Dr. Latham in his 

 second Supplement. Length from nine to ten 

 inches : bill yellow, curved, and rather stout : 

 tongue twice the length of it, and fringed at the 

 tip; front of the head whitish^ across the crown of 

 the head black, which colour passes through the 

 eyes on each side to the throat : the rest of the 

 head whitish grey and dusky, in fine transverse 

 lines: upper parts of the body pale lead-coloured 

 brown : lower belly and vent white: the six outer 

 quills brownish ; the first very short ; the others 

 incline to brown ; but six or seven of the middle 

 ones are of a greenish yellow in the middle of the 



