THE ROLLERS. 131 



THE ROLLERS. 



The Rollers form a small family of insectivorous birds of 

 rather large size, found in the warm and temperate regions 

 of the Old World. They are nearly as big as the House- 

 Crow, and have strong crow-like bills, large wings, and 

 tail of moderate length. Their legs are short, scaled 

 behind as well as in front, and the toes are three before 

 and one behind, the hinder toe being the smallest, and 

 the outer front toe as long as the middle one. I go into 

 these details, because the Rollers, being of about the 

 same size and having much blue in their plumage, are 

 often called Jays, especially in India. The Jay's foot, 

 however, is very different from a Roller's both in the 

 scaling and the proportions of the toes, resembling in 

 these points a Crow's as described in Chapter II. The 

 Rollers differ much in their habits from the active and 

 skulking Jays ; they sit about most of the time, swoop- 

 ing down occasionally for their food from their conspi- 

 cuous perch ; they do not eat vegetable food and they 

 build in holes, laying white eggs quite unlike those of any 

 of the Crow tribe. As a matter of fact, they are nearly 

 related to the Kingfishers. The cock and hen are always 

 alike, and the young much resemble them. 



THE INDIAN ROLLER OR BLUE- JAY (Coracias indica), 

 is called Nilkant by the natives, and is sacred to Siva. 

 Most people know this magnificent bird by sight. About 

 the size of a pigeon, its slow, lazy flight makes the pale- 

 blue and purple bands of its wings and tail conspicuous ; 

 though when it is on the ground or a perch, the drab, 

 sea-green, and dull pink of its body-colour render it a 



