NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BTUVS. 543 



(G. E. Shepherd). As soon as the birds have reached their southern 

 limit they commence breeding operations, which arc carried on to 

 about December (some observers say two broods are reared), and by 

 February both old and young commence to retire northward. 



As Gould remarks, the Roller is bold at all times, but especially 

 in the breeding season, when it attacks with the utmost fury any 

 intruder that may venture to approach the hole in the tree where its 

 eggs are deposited. It will frequently fight with the Great King- 

 fisher or Laughing Jackass, and successfully " jump " its nesting hole. 

 Dr. Ramsay has actuaUy seen the young of the Great Kingfisher 

 thrown out of the nest by the Roller. Touching the fury of the 

 Rollers, my (Jei-man friend, Mr. Lau, tells a good story in circuni-stantial 

 fashion. He says : " It was in the month of September I detected 

 the breeding place of one about sixty feet from the ground in the knob 

 hole of a very stout and tall eucalypt near the Mclntyre Brook, at 

 Whetstone. Seeing the bird flying in and out, I waited for a week 

 before sending up an alx)riginc to make sure that eggs were deposited. 

 With great reluctance, and under promise to give him a linen coat 

 and trousers, half a bottle of rum in addition to a glass before starting, 

 I persuaded my climber to the task, also promising to be in readiness 

 with my gun to .shoot the birds in case they should attack him while 

 taking the eggs. Now on the way up there was a portion of a thick 

 barrel, and to overcome this I provided him with four 6 in. nails to 

 insert in the tree, for placing his big toe on. Just being in this act. 

 both birds descended, sat soon amongst his black hair, pecking away, 

 at the same time uttering their low-toned noise. Although my black- 

 fellow was crying out ' shoot 'em, shoot 'em !' I waited until they left 

 him. Both bLrd^ were shot. I found a complete egg in the female ; 

 my man taking three more out of the hole, completed the clutch (four)." 



Mr. Lau once reared a pair of young Rollers. Aft«r a lapse of 

 two months, or alx)ut the time of their migi-ation, the impulse became 

 so strong in the birds that in endeavouring to escape they destroyed 

 themselves, knocking their heads against the top of the cage. They 

 were fed on raw meat. 



FAIMILY— MEROPID^ : BEE EATERS. 



436. — Merops ornatus. Latham. — (58) 

 BEE EATER. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fo!., vol. ii., pi. 16. 



Rejerence. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xvii., p. 74. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of .Australia (1848) , 

 also Handbook, vol. i., p. ii8 (1865I ; North: Proc. Linn. 

 See, N.S. Wales, vol. ii., 2nd ser., p. 441 (1887); North: 

 Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 34 (1889) ; Le Souef : Victorian Naturalist, 

 vol. xvi., p. 70 (i8gg). 



Genf/raphircil Dixfrihnfinn. — Whole of Australia ; al?o New Guinea 

 and adjacent islands, Moluccas, Celebes, Flores and Lombock. 

 35 



