CORACIIFORMES CHAP. 
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Order XIII, CORACIIFORMES. 
The Order Coraciiformes contains the Sub-Orders CORACTAE, 
STRIGES, CAPRIMULGI, CYPSELI, CoLlIl, TROGONES, and PIci, and 
includes a large number of arboreal forms with comparatively 
short legs, which often nest in holes, and have blind and helpless 
young. The group coincides with the Picariae of Nitzsch and 
Mr. Selater, except in so far that the former author included the 
Psittaci, the latter the Cuculi, while both kept the Striges separate. 
The Sub-Order CorActAaE consists of the Families Coraciidae or 
Rollers, Momotidae or Motmots and Todies, Alcedinidae or King- 
fishers, MJeropidae or Bee-eaters, Bucerotidae or Hornbills, and 
Upupidae or Hoopoes. 
Fam. I. Coraciidae.—Two Sub-families may be recognised of 
these Old World birds, (1) Coraciinae, and (2) Leptosomatinae; the 
latter containing only the remarkable “ Kirombo” of Madagascar. 
Sub-fam. 1. Coraciinae.—Most of the twenty or more species: 
of Rollers are brilliant blue and green, varied with reddish, and 
bear a resemblance to certain of the Crow-tribe, especially to the 
genus Cissa. The short metatarsus, however, scutellated in front 
and reticulated behind, is a clear distinction, as in Cissa and so forth 
it is longer and smooth behind, with elongated scutes anteriorly. It 
is comparatively long in Ground-Rollers, but they are quite unmis- 
takeable. The bill is strong, decurved, and slightly hooked, being 
broad and depressed in Hurystomus ; the toes are moderately stout 
with curved claws, while the second and third are united basally ; 
the wings are long, broad and rounded, or shorter in Ground-Rollers, 
with ten primaries and about thirteen secondaries ; the twelve tail- 
feathers vary in length, five species of Coracias having them very 
long, and one spatulate. The furcula is U-shaped, the syrinx is 
tracheo-bronchial, the nostrils are hidden by bristly feathers, the 
tongue is thin and horny, the aftershaft is small, while there is no 
down on adults or nestlings. The sexes are similar, the young duller, 
The genus Coracias ranges over temperate Europe, all Africa, 
and Central and Southern Asia eastwards to Celebes, where C. 
temmincki alone oceurs. C. garrulus, which strays to Britain, 
and breeds from Sweden and Omsk to North Africa and North 
India, has the head, most of the wing-coverts, and the lower 
surface light greenish-blue, a red-brown back, dusky and blue 
remiges, ultramarine bend of the wing and rump, and greenish 
