FOR CA GES AND A VI ARIES. 1 1 7 



is a native of much warmer climes than ours and that 

 his diet is wholly insectivorous ; therefore to keep him, 

 or try to preserve him, at a low temperature on artificial 

 food consisting for the greater part of vegetable matters 

 which he is quite unable to digest, is to condemn him 

 to a speedy but no less painful death, which, we hope, 

 no amateur will in future attempt to do. 



The Roller is about 13 inches in length, of slender 

 build, and richly clad in a plumage glittering with metallic 

 tints that fairly dazzle the eye in the sunshine. The top 

 of the head is of that shade of green known as verditer ; 

 the neck, breast, belly, and some of the tail feathers are 

 greenish-blue, and a band of the same colour crosses the 

 middle of each wing; the shoulders, the rump, and the 

 primaries are purple; the back and the secondaries and 

 their coverts, rich chestnut-brown; the central pair of 

 tail feathers are dark green, the three next light green, 

 and the outer pair white with black tips; the bill and the 

 feet and legs are orange- brown. 



Its beautiful plumage forms the chief attraction of the 

 Roller, for its "voice is harsh and it is particularly 

 clamorous, resembling the Jay in this respect, "only 

 more so;" it has no pretension to song. 



The female resembles the male so closely that it is almost 

 impossible to tell the difference between them, but perhaps 

 the metallic gloss of her plumage is slightly less brilliant 

 than his; the young are much duHer in colour than their 

 parents and their legs are pale yellow instead of brown. 



One, drawback to keeping the bird is its quarrelsome 

 habits, for like the Robins it is impatient of other 

 society, except during the breeding season, out of 

 which time the male and female will fight as bitterly 

 as will a couple of males or a couple of females, and 

 both unite in persecuting the young as soon as the latter 

 are able to cater for themselves ; and yet, singular to 

 relate, they are partial to building in company. 



More adapted for the air than the ground, the Roller is 

 a swift and strong flyer, but progresses awkwardly on the 

 floor, consequently he should be placed in a large aviary, 

 furnished, but not too thickly or so as to impede his flight, 



