MELITTOPHAGUS L ES C H E N AU LT I. 
JAVAN BEE-EATER 
Merops leschenaulti, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. xiv. p. 17 (1816) ; Gray, Gen. of B. i. p. 86 (1846). 
Merops quinticolor, Gray, Gen. of B. i. p. 86 (1846 ) ; Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 163 (1850, partim) ; Lieht. Nomencl. 
Ay. p. 66 (1854) ; Schlegel, Mns. Pays-Bas, Merops , p. 9 (1863) ; Nicholson, Ibis, 1881, p. 143. 
Melittias quinticolor, Cab. Mus. Hein. ii. p. 134 (1859). 
Figura unica. 
Levaillant, Hist. Nat. Guep. pi. 18. 
Hab. Java and Sumatra. 
Ad. M. quinticolori similis, sed capite et dorso vix saturatioribus : cauda magis cserulea, et torque jugulari nigro nee 
castaneo marginato : rectricibus dnabus centralibns vix elongatis. 
Juv. adulto similis, sed sordidior : torque jugulari angustiore et saturate viridi nec nigro. 
Adult male (Bantam, Java, 14th. June). — Resembles Melittophagus quinticolor, but has the 
chestnut on the bead and back rather richer in tinge, the tail is much more blue, and the black 
band on the throat lacks the rufous margin on the upper part. Total length about 7‘5 inches, 
culmen T3, wing 4'0, tail 3 - 4, tarsus 042. 
Young (Java). — Resembles the adult, but is duller in general coloration and the band across 
the lower throat is very narrow and dark green instead of black. 
Obs. Besides the differences above cited, I find that in all the Javan specimens I have 
examined the two central rectrices are slightly elongated, whereas this is not the case in any of 
the specimens of M. quinticolor. In one specimen the central rectrices are fully 025 inch longer 
than the lateral ones. 
A 
The present species is a clearly distinguishable form of Melittophagus qidnticolor, which species 
it replaces in Java and Sumatra, its habitat being, so far as can at present be ascertained, 
restricted to those islands. Rust recognized as a distinct species by Vieillot and described by 
him from a specimen sent from Java by M. Laichenot, it has by subsequent authors been very 
generally united with Melittophagus quinticolor, from which species it is, however, very readily 
separable. To Vieillot the credit is certainly due of having first discriminated between these two 
