MEROPIDJE. 271 



still younger age the whole of the upper parts are 

 much more mottled with brown. 



The eggs of the Cuckoo are dull dirty white 

 ground, much spotted all over with brownish grey 

 and a few black spots : they vary a little, some of 

 them being a shade lighter than others. 



With the Cuckoo ends this division of the Inses- 

 sorial birds. I think we may fairly say that none of 

 the birds included in it can be accused of doing any 

 mischief, either to the gamekeeper, the agriculturist 

 or the gardener, for a few nuts may well be granted 

 to the Nuthatch ; on the other hand, they are all of 

 the greatest use by the destruction of caterpillars 

 and various other mischievous insects. 



Div. FISSIROSTKES. Family MEROPID.E. 



The last division of the Insessorial order at which 

 we have now arrived, derives its name from the wide 

 gape of all the birds included in it, the mouth 

 indeed opening as far back as underneath the eye, 

 and is almost absurdly disproportioned to the beak, 

 which, in the greater part of the birds included in 

 this division, is very small, although in some, as the 

 Kingfisher, and the Bee-eaters, this is not the case. 



ROLLER, Coracias garrula. The species at present 

 under consideration is a very bright, beautiful, 



