160 THE USEFUf^ BIRDS 



ROLLER 



(Dollar-bird), 



Eurystomus auistralis, Swains. 



U-ris'to-mus ds-tralis. 

 Eurus, wide ; stoma, mouth ; australis, southern. 



Eurystomus australis, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ii., 



pi. 17. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 6, 8. 



Key to the Species. — General appearance green ; bill, legs, and feet 

 red ; head and neck dark brown ; bill as broad at gape as it is 

 long, culmen rounded. Total length, 10.5 inches; bill, 1 inch; 



wing, 7.75 inches. 



At all times in the southern areas Eurystofmis australis is an 

 uncommon species, while in southern Victoria there are 

 probably no more than five records of its presence. The 

 Roller is represented in Austraha by one species only, and it 

 is one of the few birds that are spread over this continent 

 with which I have had little personal contact. 



Mr. John Gould, from observations made in New South 

 Wales, writes : — 



" It arrives early in spring, and, after having reared a 

 family, retires northward on the approach of winter. It 

 appeared to be most active about sunrise and sunset. In 

 sultry weather it was generally perched upon some dead 

 branch in a state of quietude. It is a very bold bird at all 

 times, but particularly so during the breeding season, when it 

 attacks with the utmost fury any intruder that may venture 

 to approach the hole in the tree in which it has its eggs. 



" When intent upon the capture of insects it usually perches 

 upon the dead upright branch of a tree growing beside and 

 overhanging water, where it sits very erect till a passer 



