27'4 Mr. 11. B. Sbarpe on the 



ment of the tongue, it would easily learn to pronounce some 

 words and to whistle little airs. Nevertheless it would never 

 do to allow it liberty; for we were assured that it kills little 

 birds with which it is placed. When one is wounded by a shot, 

 it defends itself with blows of its beak, and, like the Owls, 

 it elevates at the same time the feathers of the head and ears. 

 These birds are very active, and from morn to eve make a great 

 noise with their disagreeable croaking. They live in pairs or 

 in little bands of from six to twelve individuals near the houses 

 of the inhabitants. In the north of Madagascar, as well as on 

 the west and east coasts, they never arrive before the first days of 

 October. At this time they live in pairs, nest, and lay ; and it is 

 at this season that they sometimes visit the island of Reunion. 

 It consequently appears that this bird inhabits the interior of 

 Madagascar from the month of May to that of October, while it is 

 found from October to April on the eastern and western sides 

 of the island. Our friend Jules Verger has observed it at the 

 same time of year in the islands of Nossi-be and Nossi-falie.^^ 



The description is taken from a nicely preserved skin in 

 my collection, lately procured in Madagascar by Mr. Alfred 

 Crossley. 



2. EURYSTOMUS AFER. 



African Roller, Lath. Gen. Syn. p. 86 (1787). 



Coracias afra, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 172 (1790). 



Eurystomus afra, Staph. Gen. Zo'ol. xiii. p. 97 (1826) ; Gi'ay, 

 Gen. of B. i. p. 62 (1845) ; Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 168 

 (1850) ; Antin. Cat. Ucc. p. 27 (1865). 



Eurijstomus afer, Gray, Cat. Fiss. Brit. Mus, p. 32 (1848) ; 

 Strickl. P. Z. S. 1850, p. 216 ; Hartl. Beitr. Orn. Westafr. p. 17 

 (1852) ; Bonap. Consp. Vol. Anis. p. 7 (1854) ; Hartl. J. f. 0. 

 1853, p. 399; Verr. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1855, p. 414; Miill. 

 J.f.O. 1855, p. 6; Hartl. Orn. Westafr. p. 28 (1857); Cass. 

 Proc. Phil. Acad. 1859, p. 33; Hartl. J.f.O. 1861, p. 104; 

 Kirk, Ibis, 1864, p. 324; Schl. Mu^. Pays-Bas, Coraces, p. 142 

 (1867) ; Heugl. J. f. 0. 1868, p. 322 ; id. Orn. N. O. Afr. i. 

 p. 169 (1869); Gray, Hand-1. of B. i.p. 76 (1869); Sharpe, Ibis, 

 1889, p. 193; Bocage, Jorn. Acad. Lisb. 1870, p. 339; Blanf. 



