A VES— CHOUGH. ..ROLLER. 485 



laying up a store of nuts and acorns, and inhabiting the pine forests like 

 that bird. It is of the size of a magpie, and the general color of its plumage 

 is a rusty brown, marked with triangular white spots. They are very 

 plenty in Germany, and are rarely seen in England. 



THE RED-LEGGED CROW, OR CORNISH CHOUGH,* 



Is like a jackdaw, but larger, and almost the size of a crow. The feet and 

 legs are long, like those of a jackdaw, but of a red color; and the plumage 

 is of a purplish black all over. It frequents rocks, old castles, and churches, 

 by the seaside, like the daw, and with the same noisy assiduity. It is 

 only seen along the western coasts of England. It is attracted by glittering 

 objects, and has been known to take lighted pieces of wood from the nre. 

 By tearing holes in the straw with its long bill, it does much injury to 

 thatched houses. 



THE ROLLER. 2 



The garrulous roller, so called from its chattering noise, is the only 

 species with which the inhabitants of Europe are acquainted. It is of the 

 size of a jay, and is exceedingly beautiful. The head, neck, and breast are 

 of a light bluish green ; the upper part of the body of a reddish brown ; the 

 tail is forked, and of a light blue ; the legs are remarkably short. It is a 

 bird of passage, common in Germany, but it seldom visits England. 



1 Pyrrhocorax gracidus, Temm. The genus Pyrrhocorax has the bill of medium size, 

 slender, compressed, bent, slightly notched or smooth ; nostrils basal, lateral, ovoid, 

 entirely concealed ; legs strong ; tarsus longer than the middle toe ; toes almost wholly 

 separated ; claws strong and bent ; cuneated ; the fourth and fifth feathers longest. 



2 Coracias erarrula, Lin. The genus Coracias has the bill compressed, higher than 

 broad, straight ; the upper mandible bent towards the point ; nostrils linear, lateral ; legs 

 short, stout, and formed for walking ; three toes before and one behind, entirely divided ; 

 wings long, with the first quill somewhat shorter than the second. 



41# 



