106 COEACIAD^. 



countries north of Burma to the foot of the Himalayas in Assam. 

 This species is found in Tipperah, Cachar, and Sylhet ; but north 

 of the head of the Bay of Bengal, from Calcutta to Tipperah and 

 from Eastern Nepal to Assam, over a belt 150 or 200 miles broad 

 between E. long. 88° and 91"", intermediate forms between C. in- 

 dica and C. (iffinis prevail. These I regard as hybrids, as each of 

 the two forms is found constant in character throughout a wide 

 area. 



Habits, Sfc. Similar to those of C. indica. This bird breeds in 

 March, April, and May, and lays 4 or 5 white eggs, measuring 

 about 1-37 by 1-09. 



1024. Coracias garrula. The European Roller. 



Coracias garrula, L. Syst. Nat. i, p. 159 (1766) ; Blyth, Cat. p. 51 

 Horsf. Sf M. Cat. p. 570; Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 218 ; Stoliczka, J. A 

 S. B. xxxvii, pt. 2, p. 19 ; Brooks, J. A. S. B. xli, pt. 2, p. 73 ., 

 Jerdon, Ibis, 1872, p. 3 ; G. F. L. Marsh, ibid. p. 205 ; Blyth, Ibis 

 1873, p. 80 ; Htinie 4' Henders. Lah. to Yark. p. 177 ; Hwne, S. I 

 i, p. 168 ; Blanford, East. Pers. ii, p. 125 ; St. John, S. F. v, p. 502 

 Butler, S. F. vii, p. 181 ; Hume, Cut. no. 125; Biddulph, Ibis 

 1881, p. 48 ; Scully, ibid. p. 429 ; C. Swinh. Ibis, 1882, p. 102 

 Davidson, S. F. x, p. 296 ; id. Jour. Bomb. N. H. Soc. i, p. 176 

 Littledale, ibid. p. 197 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 98 ; St. John, Ibis 

 1889, p. 157; Oates in Hume's ]<!. ik E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 56 ; Sharpe. 

 P. Z. S. 1890, p. 549 ; id. Cat. B. M. xvii, p. 15. 

 Nila Eras, Kashmir. 



Coloration. Narrow forehead and chin hoary white ; head, neck, 

 and lower parts, including the wing-lining, pale blue with a 

 greenish tinge ; head above and nape brighter, throat with bright 

 longitudinal streaks ; back, scapulars, and tertiaries light brownish 

 rufous ; wing-coverts pale blue, smaller coverts along the forearm 

 deep blue, greater primary-coverts very pale blue, tipped dusky ; 

 quills black, some of the primaries with a greenish gloss on the 

 outer web outside, inner webs of all deep blue on the under 

 surface ; rump deep purplish blue, more or less mixed with light 

 blue and passing into light greenish blue on the upper tail- coverts ; 

 middle pair of tail-feathers didl bronze-green, brighter along the 

 shafts, about the basal two-thirds of outer webs of other tail- 

 feathers didl green, of inner webs black, terminal portion of both 

 webs, broader on the outer feathers, pale blue, extreme tips of 

 outer pair blackish. 



Young birds are duller and browner. 



Bill black ; ii'is dark brown ; feet yellowish brown. 



Length about 12 ; tail 5 ; wing 7-8 ; tarsus -9 ; bill from 

 gape 1*6. 



Distribution. A migratory bird, wintering in Africa, passing the 

 summer and breeding in Europe and Central Asia (Persia, Turkes- 

 tan). It also breeds commonly in Kaslnnir and the Peshawar 

 Valley, and is found during migration in 8ind and throughout the 

 Punjab. Specimens have been collected as far east as Dlndia in 



