Coraciidse of the Ethiopian Region. 277 



second moult. In the old birds the bill is of a brilliant golden 

 colour, the iris brownish red, and the feet greyish blue. 



Dr. von Heuglin observes : — 



" This beautiful species is probably not a resident in N.E. 

 Africa. It generally inhabits the wooded country ; and we met 

 with it at Sakah, in the Bogos country, in the Abyssinian low- 

 lauds, Senar, Kordofan, and on the White Nile. According to 

 Antinori it appears in the Djur country between the middle of 

 April and middle of May. During the rainy season (June to 

 September) we found it commoner in the Bogos country than in 

 any other part of Africa we visited, and procured there in July 

 fledged young. 



"In its habits it is very Roller-like, as also in its loud note. 

 It frequents in pairs the dead tops of the high timber along the 

 watercourses and at the edges of open wood, generally higher 

 than the Common Roller. It catches insects from its resting- 

 place with ease, particularly coleoptera and grasshoppers. In 

 spite of its compact figure and heavy appearance, the flight is 

 swift, and it will follow a passing butterfly with great dexterity. 

 In the pairing-season the males are very noisy and quarrelsome, 

 and they often fight in the air, and perform also peculiar aerial 

 evolutions. When not pursued they are not very shy, but when 

 closely followed are very suspicious. Speke procured a female at 

 Uzaramo in October, in which was an egg ready for exclusion." 



The following note is extracted from Mr. Blanford's work 

 (/. c). He says it is " a noisy bird, with a swift hawk-like flight, 

 with all the usual habits of a Roller, but keeping rather more 

 to high trees than the two other species, and perhaps x-ather 

 more given to ' rolling ' from side to side when flying. It 

 often hawks locusts and other insects in the air. E. afer was 

 only met with in the subtropical region of the Upper Lebka and 

 Anseba valleys. It there abounded in company with the other 

 two Rollers." 



Mr. Jesse's notes on the present species are as follows : — 



" Iris dark brown, beak Icmou-yellow or chrome-colour. This 

 bird is an active, noisy individual, and during the breeding- 

 season, like the Missel-Thrush at home, drives all intruders from 

 the neighbourhood, even Kites, Vultures, and Eagles. Its flight 

 is singularly rapid and hawk-like, though without, so far as I 



