580 



of 



met with in the mountainous parts of Scot- 

 land, making their couches, like hares, 

 among the heather. In size they are far 

 inferior to the Fallow Deer, being only about 

 two feet four inches in height, and three feet 

 six inches in length. They are of a reddish 

 brown colour on the back, the chest and 

 belly yellowish, and the rump white : the 

 horns are about nine inches long, round, and 

 divided into three branches. The Roebuck 

 seems naturally attached to shady thickets 

 and rising slopes. All its motions are elegant 



ROEBUCK.- 



LUS.) 



and easy ; bounding with the utmost faci- 

 lity, and continuing the course with little 

 apparent fatigue. In many essential par- 

 ticulars, this animal differs from its conge- 

 ners ; not merely in its lightness of figure 

 and limb, but in its appetites, inclinations, 

 and general habitudes. Instead of herding 

 together in large communities, these Deer 

 live in separate families ; the sire, the dam, 

 and the young associating together, to the 

 exclusion of all others. Every other species 

 of Deer is inconstant in affection ; but the 

 Roebuck never forsakes its mate. 



The female goes with young about five 

 months ; when she forms a retreat in the 

 thickest part of some wood, and generally 

 produces two at a birth, which she carefully 

 conceals from the buck. The fawns conti- 

 nue to follow the dam eight or nine months ; 

 and, on separating, their horns begin to ap- 

 pear, simple and without ramification the 

 first year, as in those of the stag : these they 

 shed at the end of autumn, and renew them 

 during the winter ; differing from the stag 

 in this particular, the latter shedding his 

 horns in the spring, and renewing them in 

 the summer. The Roebuck can easily be 

 subdued, but never perfectly tamed. No 

 arts can teach it familiarity with its feeder, 

 much less to show any attachment to him ; 

 but it always retains some portion of its na- 

 tural wildness. 



ROLLER. (Coracias.) A genus of birds 

 allied to the Crows and Jays, in general dis- 

 tinguished by peculiar elegance and splen- 

 dour of colours. They are very shy, inha- 

 biting the thickest and most unfrequented 

 woods, though, like the crows, they are 

 frequently seen in newly ploughed fields, 

 searching for worms and larvae. They are 

 more wild and untractable than their con- 

 geners, and do not appear to possess the 



imitative faculty of the Jay or Magpie. 

 These birds, of which there are several spe- 

 ries, are found in Asia, Africa, and the hotter 

 parts of America ; but only one is a native 

 of Europe. This is 



The COMMON or GARRULOUS ROLLER. 

 (Coracias garrula.) This bird is frequently 

 met with in Italy, France, Spain, and many 

 other parts of Europe, but is seldom seen in 

 England. It is about the size of a Jay, and 

 of an elegant shape. The bill is black, 

 straight, and hooked at the point ; the orbits 

 of the eyes bare, and beyond each eye is a 

 small bare spot or protuberance. The head, 

 neck, breast, and under parts are of a light 

 bluish or sea-green colour; the back, and 



feathers of the wings next to it, are of a red- 

 dish brown ; the shoulders, or smaller wing- 

 coverts, are of a rich ultra-marine blue ; 

 the larger coverts bright sea-green ; the 

 lower part of the smaller wing-feathers 

 ultra-marine blue, forming a tolerably large 

 patch of that colour on the middle of the 

 wing ; the remainder of the wing black : 

 the back and scapular feathers pale chestnut; 

 the rump a fine deep blue, as are also the 

 under parts ; and the tail is of a dull green, 

 the two outer feathers, which are rather 

 longer than the rest, being tipped with black. 

 The legs, which are short, are of a dirty 

 yellow hue. Its note is loud and chattering ; 

 hence its specific name. 



The INDIAN ROLLER. (Cvracias Indica.) 

 In size this bird is nearly equal to the 

 Common Roller, and is remarkable for the 

 rich and vivid appearance of its colours. 

 The crown of the head is greenish blue ; the 

 remainder, with the back, scapulars, neck, 

 and breast, pale ferruginous ; the feathers of 

 the throat and upper part of the breast each 

 marked by a paler streak down the shaft : 

 the belly, thighs, and vent are sea-green : 

 the whole wing is varied with deep and light 

 blue, so as to divide it into five alternate 

 bands ; the deep or predominating colour 

 being the richest smalt blue, while the paler 

 or middle part is a most brilliant blue-green, 

 changing, according to the direction of the 

 light, into pure pale blue, and forming a de- 

 lightful contrast with the other. The tail is 



