MEROPS BREWER! 
BLACK-HEADED GREEN BEE-EATEE. 
Merops breweri, Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phi! 1859, p. 14; Boeage, Orn. d* Angola, p. 537 (1881). 
Bombylonax breweri (Cass.), Heine, J. f. Orn. 1859, p. 434; G. R. Gray, Hand-! of B. i. p. 98, no. 1200 (1869) ; 
Rcichenow, J. £. Orn. 1877, p. 21. 
Meropogon breweri , Cass. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phi! 1859, p. 39 ; Heine, J. f. O. 1859, p. 433 ; Cass. J. Acad. N. 
Sc. Phi! 2nd ser. iv. p. 321, p! 49. fig. 1 (1860) ; Sharpe & Bouvier, Bui! Soc. Zoo! France, i. p. 40 (1876). 
Archimerops breweri (Cass.), Hart! in Wiegm. Archiv, xxvi. p. 90 (1860). 
Figura unica. 
Cassin, J. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phi! 2nd ser. iv. p! 49. fig. 1. 
Hab. West Africa. 
Ad. capite et collo saturate nigris : corpore et alis supra cum rectricibus centralibus duabus elongatis, saturate 
psittacino-viridibus : cauda castaneo-rufa, rectricibus externis utrinque in pogonio externo saturate viridibus : 
corpore subtus aurantiaco vix viridi tincto : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride rubra. 
Adult male (Landana, W. Africa). — Head and neck deep black ; upper parts generally and 
the two central elongated rectrices rich deep parrot-green ; tail deep fox-red tipped with, green, 
and the outer web of tbe external feather on each side deep green ; underparts deep golden orange 
with a greenish wash ; beak and legs black, iris red. Total length about 12 to 13 inches, eulmen 
T9, height of eulmen at base 0‘4, wing T6, tail 6A, central rectrices extending T9 beyond the 
lateral ones, tarsus 055. 
Adult female. — Does not differ from the male. 
But little is known respecting this rare species, and it is only lately that specimens have been 
obtainable through dealers. It was first obtained by DuChaillu on the Gaboon, and was described 
by Cassin from a specimen brought back by him. It is stated by DuChaillu to occur on the Camma 
and Ogobai rivers in Gaboon ; Dr. Reichenow records it from the Loango coast ; and Professor 
Barboza du Boeage writes (Z. e.) that it inhabits the coast of Loango and Ohinchouxo, giving as 
his authorities Dr. Palkenstein and M. L. Petit aine. This latter gentleman met with it on the 
Congo ; and I am indebted to him for the following notes respecting its habits : — “ This pretty 
black-headed Bee-eater is not common, and on only one occasion did I meet with about forty 
individuals perched on a tree on the banks of the Chiloango river near Landana, and was 
