; I , Af sT.s" I AT) FtlCS OF AT'STKAUAIV BIRDS. 



branches of the (load trees. Whilst in pursuit of ducks with Mr. C. F. 

 Wells on the Sth August, he called my attention to one of these Mi-d* 

 perched within a few feet of my head. It was nearly black, but 

 whilst ch.angfing my cartridge it disappeared across the creek, and could 

 not again be found. Subsequently others were seen. They frequently 

 camo under the verandah at the telegiivph station at night in pursuit 

 of insects, flving in and out like Welcome Swallows." 



FAMILY— CORACnD.^ : ROLLERS. 

 Sub-family — Cor.vciin.e. 



435. — EuRYSTOMUS AVSTR.\i.is, Swainson. — (59) 

 ROLLER OR DOLLAR BIRD. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Austr.ilia, fol., vol. ii., pi. 17. 



Heference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xvii., p. -^./a. 



Prei'ious Description! of Egg.<. — Gould; Birds of .\ustralia (184S); 

 also Handbook, vol. i., p. 120 (i86^1; Ramsay: Proc. I.inn. 

 Soc, N.S. Wales, vol. vii., p. 46 (i88i); North : .\ustii. Mus. 

 Cat., pi. 14, fig. I (iSSq) ; l,e Soui-f : Victorian N.Tturalist, vol. 

 xvi., p. 70 (iS()q1. 



Gfoflrnpliirnl Dhfrihtifioii. — Australia (except South and West^ 

 also New Zealand (a<videntalV Lord Howe Island. New Guinea, and 

 throughout the Moluccas and Celebes. 



Xfxt. — A hole in a hollow limb or tree, the eg^ being deposited 

 upon the decayed wood-dust within. 



Efff/s. — Clut<'li, four; roundish in shapi' ; textiire of shell fiiu> ; 

 surface exceedingly glossy ; colour, beautiful pearly-white. Dimensions 

 in inches of a pair : (\) 1-45 x 1-15, (2) 1-.19 x 1-14 ; of a proper clutch : 

 (1) 1-4 X 112, (2) 1-38 X 1-15, (3) 1-34 x 11,5. (41 1-3 v M4. 



Ohnrrvatinnx. — The Rollers (a name suggested by their rolling 

 antics when flying), or Dollar Birds as they are more commonly called 

 (on account of the round, white mark on each wing, which sliows out 

 ag.iinst the general bluish plumage'), arc obseryed to aiTive in the 

 Cardwell district from northward in August, and reach Southern 

 Queensland and New South Wales in September. Occa.sionallv thev 

 w.ander as far south a-s Victoria. Tliev have been noted at Warnvn- 

 dvte, on the Yarra ; and in the sea.son (November) of 1893 I saw a wing 

 of a Dollar Bird that was shot in the Lcrderderg Ranges alwve Bacchus 

 Marsh, November 27th, 1893. Fiwthcr occurrences have been 

 reported on the Mitta Mitt,"!. 1801 (J. HammcrtonV. Murray. 31st 

 Octol>cr, 180-1 (.7 A. Tr.Tsk); at Cowwarr (A W. Milligan) ; the 

 Dandononps (R O. Chandeler) : Ascot Vnle (A. Coles); and Somervillc 



