890 



NATURAL IIISTOliV OF BIRDS. 



The Corapiaclx are cliavactcTistic of the Ethiopian ami Indian ren^ions, though one 

 species, tlie eoinmoii roller {('oracias (/arruhi), is extensively <li.strilmteil over the tem- 

 perate western portions of the PaUearctic region, and a few species of the blue-colored 

 broad-bill rollers {Eurijstomus) enter parts of the Australian and Austro-Maylayan 

 regions. None of the rollers are found in the New World. 



The island of Madagascar possesses three species of rollers, so different inter 

 se that they are regarded as tyjies of different genera, and so different from all 

 other rollers that a separate sub-family has been established for their reception. The 

 l>raoliyj)teracian;e, therefore, consist of three genera, JJrac/ii/jitcracias, Atelvriiis, and 

 Geobiastes, which are not found ativwhore else than in Madaijascar. They are charac- 





Kio. lao. — Coracioi yarruta, roller. 



terized by their long tarsus, and tlieir nocturnal, ground-feeding habits, hence they 

 have been called ground-rollers. The Atelornis pittoides is gorgeously colored, very 

 nuK'h after the fasliioii of a Pitta, and, as remarked by Messrs. Roeh and Xewton, it is 

 singular that such a brightly colored sjiecies should be nocturnal in its habits. Structur- 

 ally the ground-rollers show relationship to the next family, — the Leptosomatidaj. 

 The accompanying engravings illustrate the two representative genera of the rollers, the 

 Euroi>ean s]ieeies, C'ordcitis ffarrulit, ami the Indian, Kiinjsto)iiHs orientalis. A cut 

 can only do slight justice to the former's beautiful colors. The general color is a light 

 bluish green, inclining to verditer, the mantle light cinnamon brown, the wings and 

 rump adorned with beautiful azure blue. The name 'roller' is derived from its pecu- 



