ii6 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



Jan. 20, 1900 ; and another by Dr. A. Giinther, "The 

 Hoopoe in Captivity," Field, Jan. 27, 1900. 



Fam. CORACIIDiE. 



ROLLER. Coracias garrula, Linnaeus. PI. 14, figs. 1, la. 

 Length, 12 in. ; bill, 1 in. ; wing, 8 in. ; tarsus, 0-9 in. 



An irregular summer migrant, rare in Scotland, 

 and occasionally observed in Ireland, chiefly in 

 autumn {ZooL, 1891, p. 430; 1892, p. 33). Has 

 occurred several times in Orkney. 



Dr. John Hill in his "History of Animals," 1752 

 (p. 369), mentions a Roller seen by him in Charlton 

 Forest, Sussex, in which county several others have 

 been from time to time obtained. Markwick made 

 a coloured drawing of one which was shot near 

 Crowhurst in Sept. 1790. According to W. E. 

 Clarke ten or twelve instances are known of the 

 occurrence of this bird in Yorkshire. One in the 

 collection of Mr. W. Borrer was shot at Bircham, 

 Norfolk, in September 1847. Two in Sir J. 

 Gooch's collection, killed at Benacre, Suff'olk, are 

 noticed by Jesse {"Gleanings," 3rd ser., p. 98); and 

 a male was shot at Raydon, near Ipswich, on June 

 14, 1876 {Field, July 15, 1876). 



This bird feeds on insects and their larvas, small 

 molluscs, fruit, such as grapes and figs in summer, 

 and berries in autumn. 



A specimen of the Indian Roller (C indicus) is 

 said to have been taken at Louth, Lincolnshire, 

 Oct. 8, 1883; cf. Cordeaux, Ibis, Jan. 1891, p. 147. 



