fi8 BLUE-HEADED, OE RED BEE-EATER. 
lighter and more rosy beneath ; the blue of the 
head is greenish and dull, shaded with black, but 
on the tail-covers it is much brighter ; the scapular 
quills dull olive, all the others being broadly tipt 
with black, and the ends distinctly notched; ears 
black ; under wing-covers and quills beneath, rufous. 
Tail, even and notched, except the two middle 
feathers, which are attenuated, and blackish towards 
their terminal half. First quill slightly shorter than 
the second. 
Total length, 13 inches; bill (front), l T J n ; wings, 
5 / 5 ; tail beyond, 4f ; from the base, 74 middle 
feathers projecting 3 beyond the others. 
LITTLE FORK-TAILED BEE-EATER. 
Mcrops erythropterus , Latham. 
Petit Guepier du Senegal, Buffbn , PI. EnL 318. — Le Gucpier 
minnlfc, Le VaUl pi. 17 Merops erythroptcrus, Latham , 
General Synopsis , ii. 681, pi. 31 ; General Hist. iv. p. 140, 
pi. 70. — Red- winged Bee-eater, Gen. Zool. i. 175, badly de- 
scribed. 
It is a pity that a scientific name, more appropriate 
than that of erythropterus (red, or rufous winged), 
was not originally imposed upon this pretty little 
Bee-eater, the smallest species of its race yet dis- 
covered. In accordance, however, with that rule of 
nomenclature which forbids the alteration of an 
