This Bird was pointed out to me by Professor Temminck as described by Le Vaillant in his work on this family, under the name here given; on this authority, therefore, I have been obliged to rest, for I have in vain turned over the catalogues of all the public libraries in the metropolis, in the hope of seeing the work, and ascertaining the fact. The book is modern, and, though expensive, one of standard excellence; but a princely fortune is necessary to purchase such a library as a student should have access to.
Total length eight inches and a half; size rather less than the common bee-eater; the crown in young birds is greenish, in some a dull brown, and in others deep black, margined in the front and sides of the head with a line of white; the ears black, uniting to a broad band across the neck of the same colour, which is margined on the lower part with beautiful sea blue; the nape of the neck, inner covers, and quill feathers, greenish fawn colour; the lesser quills tipt with black; the rump, tail, and outside of the quills next the body changeable greenish blue; the back and upper covers green beneath; the chin is white; the body tinged with greenish, and the under tail covers with blue: the tail three inches long, and in such specimens as have the two middle feathers lengthened, three and a half; bill and feet black.
Inhabits Sierra Leone, and other parts of Africa.
_Antennæ setaceæ. Alæ trigonæ, insecto sedente, cum corpore triangulum subhorizontale efficientes, superiores margine externo recto. Palpi quatuor exserti. Lingua conspicua._ Latreille, _Gen. Ins._ 4. p. 229.
Antennæ setaceous. Wings trigonal, forming a nearly horizontal angle with the body when the insect is at rest. The outer margin of the anterior wings straight. Palpi four, exserted. Tongue conspicuous.
_B. alis hyalinis, stramineis, apicibus margineque flexuoso rubro-purpureis._
Wings hyaline; pale fulvous; the margins and tips with a waved reddish purple border.
P. Marginata. _Cramer_, _pl._ 400. I.--P. Simiata. _Fab. Ent. Sys._ 3. 208.
There appears no end to the immense number of species referrible to this genus, which will perhaps be found the most extensive tropical group of all the Linnæan _Phalænidæ._ Of these, near eighty species I found in Brazil; Dr. Horsfield has brought a great many from Java; near fifty are found in North America, and I have little doubt that the whole number existing in the cabinets which I have inspected may amount to about three hundred and fifty. The thorough investigation of these is a work of no ordinary labour; and, until this is done, it appears most advisable to let the generic distinction remain, as given by Latreille, though there can be no doubt that among them distinct groups will be detected.