MEROPS.
Tail slightly rounded, middle tail feathers prolonged beyond others.
Merops apiaster L. BEE-EATER. Fr. Guepier vulgaire ; Ger. Bienenfresser ; Ital. Gruccione.
8' 9 Forehead white, crown, hind neck and upper back chestnut ; lower back and scapulars brownish yellow, primaries blue ; wing coverts and secondaries (latter black tips) cinnamon ; beneath bluish green ; throat yellow, then a black band ; ear coverts black ; central tail feathers exceed others by about 25 m.m. Bill black. Legs and feet greyish to reddish brown. Iris crimson. Wing 8' 9 138-148 (W.). Tarsus 11-13. Bill 31-35.
Breeds.—S. and S. Central Europe, north to S. France, N. Italy, Transylvania, S. Russia, north to Moscow and Orenburg ; Mediterranean Islands, N.W. Africa, Asia Minor and \V. Asia, cast to Kashmir. Of occasional occurrence farther north in Europe to Britain and Sweden. Migrates ; occurs on passage Madeira, Canaries, Malta, Egypt. Winters in Africa to Cape, and in S. Arabia.
Merops persicus persicus Pallas.
8' 9 Green, with blue tinge on upper tail coverts ; base of bill white ; forehead and supercilium blue ; through eye a black line ; cheeks blue mixed white ; ear coverts brown, chin yellow ; throat and under wing coverts cinnamon ; two central tail feathers exceed others by 50-6o m.m. in 8' (in 9 40.50 m.m.). Bill black.
Legs and feet dark brown. Iris crimson. Wing 8" 140-160, 9 142-15o. Tarsus 12. Bill 36-4o (H.).
Breeds.—Egypt, Mesopotamia and S.W. Asia to N.W. India ; also Ural and Volga districts near Caspian Sea. Occurs on passage in Palestine. Winters S. Arabia and Africa. Rare visitor to Mediterranean countries of Europe.
M. persicus chrysooereus Cabanis and Heine. Central tail feathers longer, 90-100 m.m. beyond others ; white on cheeks faint or absent ; green colour of body tinged faint yellow.
Preeds.—N. Sahara of Algeria and Tunisia. Migrates ; winters in Senegambia and Lake Tchad country.
Merops orientalis Cleopatra Nicoll.
? Green, with a slight bronzy brown tinge on head and neck ; quills same colour with green outer webs and black tips ; central tail feathers 70-90 m.m. longer than rest ; black bar on throat. Ili11 black. Legs and feet greyish brown. Wing 90-95. Bill 24-26 (II.).
Breeds.--Egypt. Occurs in winter south to White and Blue Niles.
The typical race " M. o. orientalis" is Indian.