550 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE [JuDC 17, 



Genus Eueystomtis, Vieill., 1816. 



The Broad-billed Rollers inhabit Africa, Madagascar, and the 

 greater part of the Indian arid Australian regions. One species 

 ranges as high as Manchuria and Eastern Siberia. 



The habits of these birds differ considerably from those of the 

 true Rollers (Ooracias). They affect the forests rather than the 

 open country, and are of a sluggish nature during the daytime, 

 becoming active in pursuit of food in the morning and evening 

 only. 



A curious consensus of opinion is expressed by writers on Indian 

 ornithology that there is only one species of Eurystomus occurring 

 within Indian limits, and that specimens from the Malay Archipelago 

 are identical with those from the Indian Peninsula ; but after a 

 careful examination of the series in the Hume Collection, there 

 appears to be no doubt that there are three Indian species, each with 

 well-defined characters and a definite range. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Terminal half of tail entirely black, not shaded with 



purplish blue. 



a'. Larger ; under surface decidedly greenish ; head 

 brownish black ; secondaries black with no blue 

 shade externally orientalis, p. 550. 



h'. Smaller; under sui-face decidedly blue; head black; 

 secondaries black, washed with purplish blue near 

 the base of the outer web latior, p. 551. 



b. Terminal half of the tail black, but conspicuously 



washed with purplish blue calonyx, p. 551. 



1. ElJRYSTOMITS OEIENTALIS. 



Coracias orientalis, Linn. S. N. i. p. 159 (1766). 



Eurystomus orientalis (Linn.), Steph. Gen. Zool. vii. p. 403 

 (1809); Horsf. & M. Cat. i. p. 121 (1854); Hume, S. F. ii. p. 164 

 (1874) ; Blyth & Wald. B. B. p. 72 (1875); Hume & Davison, S. P. 

 vi. p. 72 (1878); Hume, Cat. no. 126 (pt.); Gates, B. B. ii. p. 70 

 (1883). 



Coloration. Bluish green, the wing-coverts and scapulars a little 

 brighter than the back, as also the inner secondaries : head blackish 

 brown, the hind neck, sides of head, and sides of neck brown and 

 washed with green ; under surface of body greenish blue, duller on 

 the fore neck and chest ; the throat violet-blue, each feather with a 

 mesial streak of brighter blue ; primary-coverts black, with a narrow 

 edging of purplish blue ; quills black, the primaries purplish blue at 

 the base, followed by a subbasal band of silvery blue, which is again 

 succeeded by a purplish shade ; most of the secondaries entirely 

 black, some of the inner ones with a slight edging of purplish blue ; 

 tail black, with a purplish and blue shade near the base. 



Bill, legs, and feet dull vermilion, the tip of the bill black ; ii'is 

 dark brown ; gape yellowish. 



Length about 11-5 inches, tail 4-1, wing 7'4, tarsus 0*65, bill 

 from gape 1'45. 



