THE BURMESE ROLLER. 69 



It extends down the Malay peninsula as far as Penang; but at Perak 

 Lieut. Kelham appears to have obtained the Javan species, for of one 

 specimen he writes, " chin and throat pale yellow, bounded below by a 

 dark bar" (Ibis, 1881, p. 377). 



To the north it ranges through the Indo- Burmese countries into India, 

 over the greater portion of which country and Ceylon it is found more or 

 less abundantly. 



This Bee-eater is found in forests or well-wooded parts of the country 

 in small flocks. It has the usual habits of the Bee-eaters, perching 

 on commanding branches and other objects and catching insects on the 

 wing. 



These birds breed in societies in the holes of river-banks or old quarries 

 and pits, and they lay from four to six white eggs. 



The Javan species, M. quinticolor, differs in having the whole space 

 from the bill down to the black pectoral band pure yellow without any 

 chestnut, and in having the tail blue. 



Family CORACIID^. 

 Genus CORACIAS, Linn. 



460. CORACIAS AFFINIS. 

 THE BURMESE ROLLER. 



Coracias affinis, McClett. P. Z. S. 1839, p. 164; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 217; El. B. 

 Burm. p. 72 ; Hume, S. F. iii. p. 50 ; Armstrong, S. F, iv. p. 305 ; Gates, S. F. 

 v. p. 143 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 581 ; Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi. p. 72 ; Oates, 

 S. F. vii. p. 40; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 85; Brooks, S. F. viii. p. 467. 



Description. Male and female. Forehead, crown and nape green, tinged 

 with blue, brighter over the eyes ; hind neck, back, scapulars and 

 tertiaries greenish brown ; rump purplish blue ; upper tail-coverts bright 

 caerulean blue; cheeks, chin and throat purple, with shining blue shaft- 

 stripes ; ear-coverts, sides of the neck and breast vinaceous ; axillaries and 

 under wing-coverts deep purple; abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts 

 bluish green ; central tail-feathers green, the others purple on the basal 

 half or two thirds, pale blue on the remainder ; lesser and median wing- 

 coverts deep purple ; greater coverts purplish brown, edged and tipped with 

 greenish blue; quills rich purple, the first four primaries with a broad 



