PASSERINiE. 
209 
The Promeropses (Prnmerops, Brisson), — 
Are not crested, but possess a very long tail ; their tongue, furcate and extensile, enables them to suck 
the nectar of flowers, like the Humuiing-birds and Sun-birds. 
[There are many species, found only in the warm regions of the eastern hemisphere,] 
The Epimachus, Cuv., — 
II Consists of Birds, which, with the beak of the Hoopoes and Promeropses, combine velvety or scale- 
I like feathers, wdiich partly cover the nostrils, as in the Birds- of-Paradise ; they inhabit also the same 
countries, and have equally gorgeous plumage. The males have even tufts of lengthened feathers, 
' more or less produced, upon the flanks. 
I The Superb Epimachus {Upupa magna, Lin.). — Black, with a graduated tail, three times longer than the body ; 
Ij the feathers on the flanks elongated, turned up, and frizzled, with the edges of a burnished steel-blue ; and most 
|| magnificent coloured glosses on the plumage generally. 
I Naturalists have distinguished the square-tailed species, or 
The Ptiloris, Swainson, — 
I Such as the Twelve-wired Epimachus (Ep. albus ; Paradisa;a alba, Blum.), which was long ranged among the 
f Birds-of-Paradise, on account of the long bunches of white plumes which decorate its flanks, the stems of them 
^ being prolonged into six barbless filaments on eacli side. The body is usually violet-black, and the feathei-s on 
the bottom of the breast have an edging or border of emerald green. Ep. magnificus, Cuv., and Ep. regius, 
Lesson, are two other superb species of this subdivision. 
The second and smaller principal division of the Passeritue consists of Birds wherein the 
outer toe is nearly as long as the middle one, and connected to it as far as the second joint. 
We make but one group of them, that of 
The Syndactyli, 
Long since divided into five genera, which we retain. [None of them are modified upon the 
distinct type of the PasserincB.^ 
The Bee-eaters (Merops, Lin.) — 
Have a lengthened beak, triangular at its base, slightly arcuated, and sharp-pointed. Their sternum 
(fig. 97) is doubly emarginated behind : [they have a membranaceous stomach, and no cceca; a short 
and heart-shaped tongue, and very thick skin.] Their long and pointed wings, and short feet, render 
their flight similar to that of a Swallow. They pursue insects in 
flocks, and particularly Bees and Wasps, by which it is remarkable 
that they are never stung [seizing the insect and at once crushing it 
by the snap of their powerfully compressive beak : are peculiar to the 
eastern hemisphere, and nearly allied to the Kingfishers and Rollers. 
These birds have brilliant plumage, and tail variously shaped, but gene- 
rally with the uropygial feathers elongated: they excavate deep holes in 
banks, like the Kingfishers, and lay similar spherical polished white eggs, six 
or eight in number ; the young retaining their first plumage till the second 
autumn. 
Of numerous species, there is one common in the south of Europe during 
summer, but rare in the latitude of Britain, which it seldom visits (M. apias- 
ter, Lin.): another (M. persims, Pallas), visits the south-east of Europe. 
These birds often watch their prey from the summit of trees, to which they 
return after skimming about for a minute or two. 
It is necessary to distinguish from them 
The Nyctiornis, Gould, — 
Which have shorter beaks, and softer and denser plumage, loose and puffy upon the throat. Their 
habits are crepuscular or nocturnal, and their distribution is confined to Asia. 
Three or four species are known, which are very noisy during their time of activity]. 
The Bee-eaters are represented in America hy 
The Motmots {Prionites, Illiger), — 
Which have the same feet and port [their tarsi being however longer], but differ by a stronger bill, 
p 
Fig. 97. — Sternum of Bee-eater. 
r 
ii 
