88 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



FAMILY, CORACIID^. 



173. Coracias garrula. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 159. Roller. 

 Arab., ^\^ySi=, Sc/iurkrak. 



The Roller appears in large flocks about the ist April, and they very 

 gradually disperse themselves over the whole country, breeding in 

 burrows in sand or gravel banks, very often in small colonies, and more 

 frequently a single pair by themselves, in a hollow tree or a rocky cleft. 

 Brilliant and conspicuous, both in plumage, note, and manners, the Rollers 

 attract attention everywhere, and are found in every kind of country 

 alike, woodland, plain, desert, ravines, ruins, always perching where they 

 can see and be seen. 



The Roller visits all Europe in summer, though only accidental in 

 the British Isles, and in winter goes as far as the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Its Eastern range is more limited. I found it swarming in Mesopotamia 

 in 1 88 1, and it extends to Cashmere and the Altai mountains. 



FAMILY, MEROPID.F:. 



174. Mci'ops apiaster. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 182. Bee-eater, 

 Arab., yyy^, Warivar. 



A regular migrant, returning in great numbers in the beginning of 

 April, and living in large societies, breeding in colonies in deep holes in 

 low banks, in which, when the young are fledged, we may find handfuls 

 of the elytra of beetles, on which they have fed. Since the introduction 

 of the electric telegraph, its wires are the favourite perch of the Bee-eater, 

 which returns to the same spot after short flights exactly like a Fly-catcher, 

 for hours together. 



The Bee-eater is a summer visitor to Southern Europe and 

 Western Asia, as far as Persia; Scinde appearing to be its Eastern 

 limit. 



175. Merops pcrsicus. Pallas. Reis. Russ. Reichs. ii., p. 708. 

 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. 



The Bee-eater is rare in Palestine, and I have only seen it on 

 passage. But it is extremely abundant in Mesopotamia, where I have 



