Order II. 
PASSERES. 
Tribe II. Fissirostres Diurna$. 
The 
fourth 
Family, 
MEROPIDiE, or Bee-eaters, 
HaVe Rill 1 
c °Qipre SSec j ° nger ^ lari the head, with both mandibles curved and acutely pointed ; the sides 
s h°rt bristF ^ ^ rom fhe culmen ; the Nostrils basal, lateral, rounded, and partly hidden by the 
S0ll *etiru es ' ^' e ^^ ngs more or hss long and pointed ; the Tail long, broad, and the middle feather 
°hes iQor ^ ^° nget ^ heyond the lateral ones ; the Tarsi very short ; the Toes long, with the lateral 
less united to the middle toe ; the hind toe long, and broadly padded beneath. 
The o 
W Subfamily, 
W e 
MEROPINiE, or Bee -EATERS, 
the 
e ohaiacters as previously given for the family, 
Merops Linn.* 
&ill i 0r) g 
W hp, whi ^ UrVe< ^’ an< l pointed, with the culmen curved, keeled, and the sides much compressed to 
^ e Wh; t p e ' S Ver T acute; the sides sloping from the culmen to the lateral margins for its entire 
S Wt h a i rg S Ver T lon o and arched ; the nostrils basal, latei*a,l, rounded, and covered with a few 
a ' 1|, l th e , ln ^ S reac hing two thirds the length of the tail, and pointed, with the first quill spurious, 
at Ws 
c s econd th i • ° , — r ^ r ’ 
' 1 ' s in or G ionges h Tail long, broad, more or less even, with the ends of the two middle 
" : ">ow 1 ^ ess Prolonged beyond the others. Tarsi very short, robust, and covered in front with 
as 
W s ccoj lt [ • . erSe sca l° s - Toes long, the lateral ones unequal, the outer the longest, united as far 
Wily p , ’ fhe inner as far as the first joint, of the middle toe ; the hind toe long, strong, and 
1 'hied beneath : 
Th e 
; the claws moderate, curved, and acute. 
ace 
that 
te n , aUlg to the ] C ° m P 0se t ' 1 ’ s genus are found in most parts of the old continent, migrating from place to pli 
o„ localitigg^ 26 ° f season - Tlie y seek the warmer portions of the globe during the winter, and in summer the 
Wto* 16 T r °min ent , i as tlleir foo(i entir ely consists of insects. They usually perch themselves singly or in small parties 
° acl b they fl y ai J anch > or °n any object from which they can see around them. When an insect is observed to 
n Ca Pture it while on the wing, and then generally return to the same perch that they have just 
Establ 
■shed b 
y Linnaeus 
in 1756 (Systema Natures). JBrisson in 1?60 used the name of Apiaster for these birds. 
