ROLLER. 43 1 



reason to suppose that the Roller, unlike the Hoopoe, has ever 

 bred, or attempted to breed, with us. 



The Roller is described as a shy bird and generally unso- 

 ciable in its habits, choosing its haunts in a partially wooded 

 district, and perching on tall trees, flying from one dead 

 branch to another ; but continually on the watch, and from 

 time to time uttering very harsh and varied cries, one of 

 which has been syllabled rack, rack-kack. It seeks its food, 

 however, consisting chiefly of beetles and frogs, on the 

 ground. It usually migrates in flocks, which gradually dis- 

 perse after it has reached its summer-quarters. Canon 

 Tristram describing some (Ibis, 1866, p. 81) which he had 

 good opportunities of observing in spring for several days at 

 Jericho, says that shortly before sunset " a few of the birds 

 would start from their perch, and commence a series of 

 somersaults overhead, somewhat after the fashion of Tum- 

 bler-Pigeons.* In a moment or two they would be followed 

 by the whole flock, and these gambols would be repeated for 

 a dozen times or more." A similar performance is gone 

 through by the cock, while the hen is sitting, for in fine 

 weather he will rise high in the air and suddenly let himself 

 fall, turning completely over and uttering a harsh cry at the 

 same time, repeating the gesture more than once before he 

 resumes his perch. The nest is commonly placed in a 

 hollow tree, from eight to fifteen feet from the ground, but 

 failing such accommodation, a hole in a bank or wall is occu- 

 pied, as noticed by many observers. In Northern Europe 

 the Roller, as Wolley found, uses some bedding of roots and 

 grass, or even feathers and hair, for its eggs ; but Mr. Salvin 

 says that those seen by him in Algeria lay on nothing softer 

 than chips of the dead wood, and the same was observed 

 by Mr. Buckley in Sweden. Both sexes are said to share 



* Sir C. Fellows made the same comparison in Asia Minor many years ago 

 (Ann. Nat. Hist. iv. p. 213). The late Sir Greorge Lefevre, author of the 

 anonymously-published 'Life of a Travelling Physician' (ii. p. 130) noticed in 

 Podolia how that Rollers "roll along in their flight," and it would seem that the 

 bird acquired its name from this habit, Gesner writing in 1555 (Hist. An. iii. 

 p. 674), that about Strasburg ^'Roller uocatur per onomatopoBiara, ut audio, in 

 aere perquam alte uolat." 



VOL. II. 3 K 



