Genus DICROCERCUS. 
Merops, Lichtenstein, Cat. rer. nat. rariss. p. 21 (et auctt.) (1793), nec Linn. 
Melittophagus, Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 316 (partim). 
Dicrocercus, Cabanis, Mns. Hein. ii. p. 136 (1859-60). Type D. hirundineus. 
Hab. Africa, from Abyssinia and Senegal down to the Cape Colony. 
Alis longis, acutis ; remige prima brevissima, tertia omnium longissim;!, secunda vix breviore : secundariis longis, 
intimis primariis sequalibus : cauda longa valde furcata : rostro elongato, gracili, curvato : pedibns brevibus, 
robustis. 
Bill long, slender, curved, acute, pentagonal at tlie base, then four-sided, compressed ; gape- 
line curved ; nostrils roundish, nasal membrane short. Wings moderately long, pointed, the 
first primary shorter than the secondaries, the third longest, the second and fourth somewhat 
shorter than the third, and nearly equal in length ; secondaries rather long, the elongated 
inner secondaries as long as the primaries. Tail long, deeply forked. Beet small, tolerably 
stout, the lower portion of the tibia bare ; the tarsus scutellate ; toes moderately short, rather 
slender ; claws curved, compressed, acute. — Type Dicrocercus hirundineus. 
The genus Dicrocercus contains but one species, full particulars respecting which are given in 
the following article. 
