330 BRITISH BIRDS. 



1'4 inch in length, and from l - 2 to I'l inch in breadth, whilst unusually 

 small specimens only measure 1*2 by 1 inch. Their beautifully polished 

 surface and globular form distinguish them from those of the Pigeons ; 

 and their large size prevents them being readily confused with those of the 

 British Woodpeckers ; but many examples are absolutely indistinguishable 

 from those of the Belted Kingfisher and its allies. 



In some parts of South-eastern Europe the Roller is shot during its 

 migrations, and much prized as an article of food. Dixon writes of this 

 bird in Algeria : " This gaudy bird appears to prefer the upland districts 

 to the plains in this part of the world. I do not remember to have ever 

 seen it near the palms in any of the oases ; but in the evergreen-oak forests 

 that thickly clothe the sides of the Aures it is very commonly distributed, 

 and you may see at irregular intervals a pair of birds flitting off, or one or 

 two solitary individuals perched sentinel-like on the top of some stunted 

 juniper- or olive-tree. They are very conspicuous birds, and this, coupled 

 with their excessive noisiness, rarely fails to attract the attention of the 

 ornithologist, especially the British one, who only knows the Roller as a 

 very rare bird. To him their habits are full of fresh and unwonted inte- 

 rest ; and as he sees the birds in dozens round him, the scanty records 

 of its occurrence in our books on British birds are irresistibly called to 

 mind. The Roller has many singular traits. Its flight is varied and full 

 of strange manoeuvres; its voice is most discordant. It is excessively fond 

 of perching on the topmost branches of the trees, always preferring a dead 

 limb if it can find one, where its showy dress can be seen for half a mile 

 or more. It cannot be called a shy bird, although it is a wary one, and 

 usually takes wing before you get within range of a safe shot. I have 

 often seen this bird soar to a great height, and then drop perpendicularly 

 down, something like the ' shooting' of the Rook, to a perch directly 

 below it. Sometimes it turns over in the air like a Tumbler Pigeon ; 

 and in the pairing-season two birds often chase each other and gambol in 

 the air. The Roller is often seen on the ground in search of its food, 

 which in these regions is largely composed of beetles, locusts, grasshoppers, 

 and any garbage it may find ; for it is no more particular in its diet than 

 a Crow or a Jay, which latter bird it resembles very closely in its habits. 

 The flight of the Roller is very unsteady; but I cannot help thinking 

 that the peculiar pattern of the bird's brilliant plumage gives its flight 

 the appearance of being more irregular than it really is. It is rather a 

 late breeder, and in the mouth of May it had evidently not commenced 

 to sit." 



The Roller may be described as a brilliant metallic greenish-blue bird, 

 with chestnut mantle and innermost secondaries, and with the under 

 surface of the wings rich purplish blue. Bill black ; legs and feet pale 

 brown ; irides^dark chestnut. The female does not differ from the male 



