64 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
under tail-coverts plain buff ; under aspect of tail yellowish buff, tipped 
with brown ; under wing-coverts bright buff, the inner webs of the quills 
of the wing mostly brown. 
Bill horny,, light at the base below ; iris brown ; legs fleshy brown, 
tinged with green ; claws horn- colour. 
Length 14 inches, tail 6*2, wing 5*8, tarsus *7, bill from gape 2*3. The 
female is considerably smaller. 
The Blue-bearded Bee-eater occurs sparingly throughout British 
Burmah, frequenting forest country and being a constant resident. I 
procured a few specimens in the Arrakan hills near Nyoungyo, and 
I met with it near Pegu Town once or twice. Mr. Blanford got it at 
Bassein, and Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay at Tonghoo and on the Karin hills. 
Mr. Davison appears to have observed it at numerous places in Tenasseriai 
between Pahpoon and Amherst, and Capt. Bingham in the Tlioungyeen 
valley. 
It extends through the Indo-Burmese countries into India, and is found 
over a considerable portion of that peninsula. According to Dr. Tiraud, it 
is also met with in Cochin China. 
This handsome Bee-eater frequents forests, but does not appear to 
be anywhere numerous. It perches on lofty trees, and sallies out after 
flying insects, returning again to the same perch. Capt. Bingham found 
the eggs in Tenasserim in April ; they were laid in a chamber at the end 
of a long tunnel dug in a bank, and were four in number. It is sug- 
gested that this bird also lays its eggs in the holes of trees. The eggs 
of all Bee-eaters are white. 
456. NYCTIORNIS AMICTA. 
THE RED-BEARDED BEE-EATER. 
Merops amictus, Te^nm. PL Col. 310. Nyctiornis amicta, Salvad. Ucc. Born. 
p. 91 ; Bl. 8> Walcl B. Burnt, p. 73 ; Hume ^- Dav. S. F. vi. p. 69 ; Iluine, S. F. 
viii. p. 85 ; Bmgham, S. F. ix. p. 153 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1881, p. 378. Nyctiornis 
malaccensis, Cah. Sf Hein. Mus. Hein. ii. p. 133. 
Description. — Male. Feathers impending the nostrils greenish blue; 
forehead, lores and crown of head to a little beyond the eyes shining lilac- 
rose, shaded with purplish posteriorly j feathers on the eyelids dull blue ; 
angle of the chin bluish ; cheeks, throat and a broad band running down 
to the base of the breast crimson, the feathers of the breast with black 
centres, which show up in places ; sides of the head, neck and breast, and 
all the upper plumage, wings and tail dark green, the inner webs of the 
