Birds of Celebes: Meropidae. 
253 
The present species, like M. apiaster of Europe, deserves its name of Bee- 
eater. Gould remarks that its food consists of various insects, .chiefly Coleo- 
ptera and Neuroptera', Cox & Hamilton observ'ed that it is very destructive to 
bees. The same writers mention that it will plunge into water for a bath. 
78. MEROPS PHILIPPINUS L. 
Blue-tailed Bee-eater. 
Plate VIII. 
a. Le Grand Guepier des Philippines (Ij Briss., Orn. 1760, IV, 560, pi. 43; (III Daubent., 
PI. Enl. YT, pi. 57. 
Merops philippinus (l)'Li., S. N. 1767, f.Wald.; ('SjBlyth, J.A.8. 1846, 369; ('Zl/j Gld., B. As. 
1855, I, pi. 36; (4) Sclil., Mus. P.-B. Merops 1863, 2; (5) Beavan, Ibis 1867, 318; 
(6) Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1872, VHI, 42; (7) Meyer, J. f. G. 1873, 405; (8) Finscli 
& Conrad, Verb. z.-b. Ges. Wien 1873, 2, 8 (sep. copy); (9) Salvad., Cat. Ucc. 
Borneo 1874, 89; (10) David & Oust, Ois. Cliine 1877, 72; (11) Hume, S. F. Y, 
1877, 18; (12) Hume & Davis., ib. VI, 1878, 67, 498; (13) Ball, ib. VH, 1878, 
203; (14) Cripps, t c. 258; (15) Tweedd., P. Z. S. 1878, 107, 282,340,709; (16) 
Meyer, Ibis 1879, 57; (17j Legge, B. Ceylon 1880, 306; (18) Vidal, Str. F. IX, 
1880, 49; (19) Bingb., t c. 152; (20) Butler, t c. 381; (21) Xicholson, Ibis 1881, 
143; (22) Kelham, t c. 378; (23) fieid, Str. F. X, 1881, 21; (24) Davis., t c. 
1883, 350; (25) A. Mlill, J. f. 0. 1882, 396; (26) Oates, B. Brit Burmab 1883, 
H, 66; (27) W. Bias., J. f. 0. 1883, 135; (28) Vorderman, Xed. Tdscbr. Xed. 
Ind. 1883, 47; (XXIX) Dresser, Monogr. Merop. 1884, pp. XVH, 5.5, pi. XV; 
(30 J A. Mull., J. f. O. 1885, 155; (31) Guillem.. P. Z. S. 1885, 503; (32) Hume, 
Str. F. XI, 1888, 42; (33) Hartert, J. f. 0. 1889, 364; (34) Everett, J. Str. Br. 
R. A. S. 1889, 161; (34^'^) Tristr., Oat Coll. B. 1889, 97; (35) Steere, List B. 
and Maimn. Philipp. 1890, 9; (36) Oates, Hume’s Xests and Eggs 1890, HI, 63; 
(37) Hartert, J. t O. 1891, 296; Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1891, 47; 
(38) Sharpe, Cat B. XVH, 1892, U] ' (XXXIX) Jleyer, Vogelskel. pt XVH, 
1892, pi. CLXH; (40) Mann, ibis 1894, 60; (41) Biittik., Z. Erg. Weber’s Reise 
Ost-Ind. 1893, IH, 274; (42) Oust, Xouv. Arch, du Mu.s. 1893, 138; Steere, 
Hus 1894, 417; (44j Bourns & Worces., B. Menage Exped. 1894, 34; (45) 
Vorderm., N. T. Xed. Ind. 1895, LIV, 333; (46) Clarke, Ibis 1895, 474; (47) 
Blanford, Faun. Br. Ind., B. HI, 1895, 111; (48) M. & AVg., Abb. Mus. Dresd. 
1896, Xr. 1, p. 8; (49;, Sharpe, Br. B. 1896, 11, 57; ^'50) .Tesse, Ibis 1896, 190, 
195; (51^ Hart, Xov. Zool. 1896, 550, 595. 
b. Le GuSpier a queue d’azur ou le Guepier Daudin (I) Levaill, X. Hist. Guepiers 1807, 
49, pi. 14. 
c. Merops javanicus (1) Horst, Tr. L. S. 1821, XIII, 171. 
d. Merops daudeni (1) Cuvier; (2) Hume, Str. F. II, 1874, 162; (3) id., IH, 1875, 49. 
e. Merops philippinus var. celebensis OJ AV. Bias., Ztsclir. ges. Orn. 1885, II, 239, 1886, 88, 
violently used than is the tail of the Woodpecker, for the rectrices of the latter have the webs tapering off 
to whalebone-like spines, which are used as a powerful proji to the Ihrd during its pecking and excavating 
work. At the same time it should be pointed out that a somewhat similar form of quills occurs in some other 
birds, such aa Carduelis, where a corresponding cause for their formation cannot, perhaps, be supposed. 
