214 MEROPID^E. 



men from that country. Professor Nilsson says the Boiler 

 is occasionally a summer visiter to Sweden, arriving in 

 May with the Cuckoo ; it breeds there in hollow trees, and 

 departs in September ; it is seen also in the southern 

 provinces of Russia. In some parts of Germany it is not 

 uncommon ; but according to M. Temminck, never visits 

 Holland : it is rather rare in France ; is found in Provence, 

 and has been taken at Gibraltar. It inhabits North Africa 

 from Tangiers to Egypt. Adanson saw flocks at Senegal, 

 and supposed they passed the winter there ; and Dr. 

 Andrew Smith includes it in his Catalogue of the Birds of 

 South Africa. In Italy during autumn young birds of 

 the year are not uncommon, generally frequenting gardens. 

 In the Morea, these birds being very fat in autumn, are 

 sought after as a choice article of food. It has been re- 

 marked* by a traveller in Asia Minor, that "The Roller 

 was most common throughout the south and west parts 

 of the country, wherever the Magpie was not found ; and 

 was not seen in the same district with that bird. The 

 Roller was observed to fall through the air like a Tumbler 

 Pigeon.' 1 It has been taken at Aleppo. The Zoologi- 

 cal Society have received specimens from Trebizond and 

 Erzerum ; and a Russian naturalist has found that it visits 

 the countries lying between the Black and the Caspian 

 Seas. M. Temminck includes it among the Birds of 

 Japan. 



In the " Life of a Travelling Physician," vol, ii. page 

 130, there is the following reference to the habits of this 

 bird. "The only other object worthy of notice is the 

 beautiful bird called the Steppe Parrot, which is common 

 in this country (the south of Russia). It is the Roller. 

 Its plumage is beautiful, and when flying in the sun it 



* Annals of Nat. Hist. Nov. 1839, page 213. 



