350 THE GARRULOUS ROLLER. 



the instances when I have fallen in with it, no special wari- 

 ness was evinced. Its chief resorts are woods consisting 

 of deciduous trees, more particularly of beech and oak ; in 

 the summer it is commonly met with in pairs. Owing 

 to its long and pointed wings, its flight is quick, and not 

 altogether dissimilar to that of the dove. It often makes 

 summersets in the air, during which its loud and harsh, 

 rack, rack, rack, is constantly to be heard. 



The food of the roller consists principally of insects, larvae, 

 worms, slugs, and snails. It also eats small frogs and 

 lizards. It is never seen to hop about in search of food ; but 

 perched on a withered bough, a corn-rick, a boulder, or other 

 elevated place, it looks about on all sides for its prey. As 

 soon as aware of it, it dashes forward, catches it with the bill, 

 and devours it ; and then returns to its former look-out, in 

 the manner of the butcher birds and the flycatchers. During 

 the autumn it is said to feed on barley and other kinds of 

 grain, as well as berries, acorns, and beech-nuts. 



It makes its nest in the hollow of a tree. This is com- 

 posed of small twigs and moss, and is lined with feathers 

 and hair. Its eggs are from four to six in number, and of a 

 pure, glossy white. In length they are one inch and three 

 and a half lines ; in breadth one inch and one line. Its 

 habits are dirty ; it never removes the excrement from the 

 nest, and the young, therefore, sit up to their eyes in filth. 



It would seem by the following interesting account, 

 from the pen of Mrs. Bedoire, that this handsome bird is 

 not readily tamed. 



" Every summer," says that lady, " a pair of rollers arrive 

 here, and build in a hollow tree in our Asp-Jiage, or aspen- 

 grove. And as this is not far distant, we can distinguish the 



