SWALLOW. ($7 



GROUP IV. FISSIROSTRES. 

 FAMILY L MEEOPID^E. 



136. ROLLER. (Coracias garruld). 

 Garrulous Roller. Very rarely met with in England. 



137. BEE-EATER. (Merops apiaster). 

 An African bird, which strays occasionally so far to the north 

 as to reach Britain, and be claimed as a British Bird. 



II. HALCYONIDJE. 



138. KING-FISHER. (Alcedo ispida). 

 Beyond doubt, as far as exceeding brilliancy of plumage' goes, 

 the most beautiful of our indigenous birds. I have never seen it 

 in any part of the kingdom a numerous bird, though in my fish- 

 ing and other excursions in Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk, and Here- 

 fordshire, I used to see many pairs ; each, however, domiciled at 

 some distance from its nearest neighbours. In the district of 

 North Yorkshire I am best acquainted with I have never seen it. 

 Its straight, arrow-like, speeding flight is sure to be remembered, 

 when once seen, and so is the odour inseparable from its nest- 

 hole or other stated haunt. A hole, sloping upwards, in the 

 bank of the water it most frequents, whether pond, stream, 

 marsh-ditch, or large river, is usually chosen to receive the nest, 

 which is often a foot and a half, or two feet from the entrance ; 

 but sometimes the bird has been known to resort to a hole at 

 some distance from any water. The nest, so called, seems to be 

 constituted of small fish-bones, ejected from the King-fisher's 

 stomach, and the dry soil of the hole, while the eggs deposited in 

 it are five or six in number, very round in form, beautifully white 

 when blown, and though, from the thinness of the shell, seeming 

 to have a pink hue before the removal of the yolk. 



III. 



139. SWALLOW. (Hirundo rustica). 

 Common Swallow, House Swallow, Chimney Swallow, Barn 

 Swallow. One of the most welcome of all our spring visitors ; 

 and so frequently coming back, the self-same pair of birds appa- 

 rently, to the self-same nest that they seem to be almost like, 

 members of the family returning from a temporary absence. Th : 

 common name, Chimnev Swallow, is, however, rather a misno- 

 mer. No doubt they build in chimneys freely and frequently, bu :; 

 in many districts the chimney is quite untenantedby any swallows 

 while the open roofs of sheds and barns, the under side of bridgou 

 sufficiently flat and uneven to afford the necessary support, 



