432 CORACIID^l. 



the duty of incubation, which lasts about three weeks, The 

 eggs are from four to six in number, often globular in 

 shape, of a glossy translucent white and measuring from 

 1-52 to 1-22 by from 1-19 to 1'05 in. 



The Roller has strayed to the Faeroes, and even to the 

 Varanger Fjord, but it occurs only rarely in Southern 

 Norway, and has not been known to breed there. In some 

 parts of Sweden, however, it appears yearly in summer, as 

 far as lat. 61 N., and as regularly breeds, especially near 

 Calmar, where, and in (Eland, it is not uncommon. It is 

 also said to visit Gottland, but it is still rare in Finland, 

 and only occurs in the south and east of that country. In 

 Russia it perhaps gets a little further northward, having 

 been seen about Lake Onega, but it seems to be scarce about 

 Perm, though becoming commoner in the south of the 

 Empire. Eastward it extends to the valley of the Irtisk, 

 where it is plentiful, but it is not seen in Eastern Siberia. 

 It inhabits Persia, Afghanistan and North-western India, 

 sharing these countries with its congener Coracias indicus, 

 with which it is said frequently to interbreed. Returning 

 westward it has been obtained in Arabia ; and it seems to 

 pervade the whole of Africa as far as the Cape Colony ; but 

 proof of its reported occurrence in Madagascar is needed. 

 It has been observed on some of the islands in the Gulf 

 of Guinea, but not in those off Cape Verd, or other groups 

 in the Atlantic. In many parts of Mauritania it breeds 

 commonly, as it also does in Spain, but it would seem to 

 be less numerous in Portugal. In France its appearance is 

 said to be very casual, for it does not occur annually even 

 in Provence. In Belgium it has the same character for 

 irregularity as with us, and in Holland is rarer still. In 

 Italy it is said to be uncommon, but it occurs every year, 

 and is known to breed in some places. It resorts to many 

 parts of Germany, especially Pomerania, and it visits Den- 

 mark, and though scarce breeds there.* As regards Europe, 

 the south-eastern countries are no doubt its chief home, 



* Its occurrences in Denmark are carefully and critically recounted by Prof. 

 Reinbardt (Vid. Meddels. 1874, pp. 113-120). 



