INDIAN BEE-EATER. 
It is, in fa6l, thus described by that celebrated 
paturalist, -whose figure we have also adopted. 
The bill is pretty long, sharp-pointed, and 
has a downward incurvation ; the upper man- 
dible being black or dusky, and the lower 
whitish at the base. The beginning of the 
forehead, next the bill, is blue ; of w^hich co- 
lour, likewise, are the throat and sides of the 
head, beneath the eyes : and the crown, and 
hinder part of the head, as well as the hinder 
part of the neck, are of a red or orange-colour. 
On the upper part of the breast, there is a 
transverse mark in the form of a crescent, 
with the horns pointing upwards ; the back, 
and lesser covert feathers of the wings, are of 
a parrot-green colour ; tlie rump, or coverts 
of the tail, are of a blueish green ; the breast 
and belly are of a light green ; the thighs are 
of a reddish brown.; and the coverts beneatli 
the tail are of a dirty green. The greater 
quills of the wings are dusky at their tips, hav- 
ing a little green on their edges towards the 
base : the centre quills are of an orange co- 
lour, bordered with green, and marked with 
black spots a little within their tips, the ex- 
treme 
