The Roller. 293 



instance of the occurrence of any member of it in Wiltshire 

 had then reached me. There are indeed but two species belong- 

 ing to it which have ever been known to appear in Great Britain, 

 and these are only occasional and uncertain, if not rare visitors. 

 But both partake of a great brilliancy of plumage, and of interest- 

 ing habits; and both are hailed by me as welcome additions 

 to our Wiltshire list ; for they are old friends with whom I have 

 become well acquainted in other countries. 



112. THE ROLLER (Coradas garrula). 



The evidence which I have of this bird's visit to Wiltshire is not 

 quite satisfactory, as the specimen observed was not captured, and 

 so cannot be brought forward as proof positive of its identity. It 

 was, however, well seen and thoroughly examined by one of the 

 masters of Marlborough College, as he was walking in 

 Savernake Forest in 1883, and my friend, Rev. T. A. Preston, 

 satisfied himself by careful inquiry that there was no mistake 

 in the species alleged to have been seen. But, indeed, there is 

 no other bird with which an intelligent observer could confuse 

 it. I am ready therefore to accept Mr. Preston's assurance 

 that ' we may be certain a bird of this species was seen at the 

 place and time named.' The Roller is a common bird all round 

 the shores of the Mediterranean, more especially in the east and 

 south of that inland sea ; and for myself, I saw it more frequently 

 than elsewhere in the Holy Land. It is generally a shy, timid 

 bird, of unsociable habits, retiring to the recesses of woods, 

 whence its harsh, loud cries may be heard from time to time, for it 

 is a most noisy chatterer, as its specific name garrula points out. 

 In Northern Africa the Arabs call it Tschugrug or Shrugwrug, 

 derived from one of its cries, which it well expresses. By the 

 French colonists it is known as the Geai d'Afrique ; in Malta 

 as the ' Blue Jay ;' in Sweden as the Bid Krdka, or ' Blue Crow ;' 

 by the Italians as Corvo marino; and by us, as the ' Roller,' because 

 it rolls along in its flight. But it has also a very remarkable 

 habit of tumbling in the air, which is well described by Canon 

 Tristram, as he witnessed it when encamped at Ain Sultan, in the 



