THE ROLLERS. 



363 



lived here for some years, its bill got rather out of order, that is, it did not close properly at the 

 point ; and consequently the picking off the web at last was imperfectly performed, and the two sides 

 of the tail-feather presented an unequal and unfinished appearance. I noticed also that the Motmot 

 frequently threw xip castings, after the manner of the Kingfishers and other birds that swallow 

 indigestible substances. Yours faithfully, A. D. BARTLETT.' 



" The point is further elucidated by the examination of skins in our collection. We have a 

 number of specimens of various species in which the central tail-feathers were growing when the birds 

 were shot. The drawings now exhibited show some of them. Figm-e A represents the tail of a young 

 Momotus lessoni in its first plumage. The central tail-feathers are here untouched ; they merely show 

 the reduction in the breadth of the web in the part which is subsequently denuded. Of this more 

 anon. Figure B shows the growing feathers of the tail of a specimen of Momotus mexicanus ; in this 

 a few vanes have been removed from the left-hand feather. Figure c shows the process of denudation 



TAIL-FEATHERS OF MOTMOT. (From the Proceedings of the Zoological Society.) 



(A) Tail of if. lessoni: two Central Rectrices shaded; (B) Tail of if. mexictmits: the Central Rectrices, not fully grown, are shaded: (C) Tail of 

 a. lessoni, with stems of Central Kectrices partially denuded; (D) Tail of P. platyrliynchus.with Central Rectrices not symmetrical. 



still further advanced. In all these three birds it will be noticed that the feathers in question have 

 grown symmetrically, both being of nearly equal length. Figure D represents the tail of a Priow- 

 rkynchus platyr/tynchus, where these feathers have not grown symmetrically, but the left-hand one has 

 been developed sooner than the right-hand one. What has happened ? The bird expecting to find 

 two feathers upon which to operate has commenced to nibble not only the left central rectrix, but also 

 the next rectrix on the right-hand side ! But it seems to have not felt very certain about the state of 

 its tail, for it has wandered off to one of the others, and commenced nibbling it also. When, how- 

 ever, the proper right-hand feather appeared, these mistakes have been discovered, and the work re- 

 commenced in the usual way. I can interpi-et in no other way the state in which the feathers- on the 

 right-hand side of the tail of this bird appear." 



THE EIGHTH FAMILY OF THE FISSIROSTRAL PICARIAN BIRDS. 

 THE ROLLERS (Coraciadee). 



These birds constitute a family of birds which are strictly denizens of the Old World, and are 

 remarkable for their bright plumage. The vernacular name of Roller is given to them from their habit 

 of mounting or "rolling" in the air. Canon Tristram, in describing the habits of the European species 

 (Coracias garrula) in Palestine, writes as follows: "On the 12th of April I reached Ain Sultan 



