A Naturalist’s Notes from the Bush 391 
These birds seem to fly 
about in pairs rather than 
flocks during their visit to 
Victorian territory. They 
usually appear during the 
early summer months, re- 
maining throughout the hot 
weather, and inhabit the 
flat, open country bordering 
rivers and extensive lagoons, 
where much of their time 
is passed among the tops 
of the stately river-gums. 
Their flight is rather singu- 
lar, the long, irregular flaps 
suggesting a clumsiness 
which is far from real, for 
when viewed from a distance 
the rapid propulsion result- 
ing from so few flaps of the 
wing is surprising, the very 
irregularities of its motion 
seeming to possess a system 
of their own. 
The plumage of the 
Roller, although not exactly 
gorgeous, 1s rich in lustrous 
shades of green. The bird is 
about ten inches in height, 
while the expanse of its 
wings is twenty-four inches, 
or slightly over. The wings 
are rather narrow and very 
long. The beak, which is 
very wide at the base and 
well hooked at the tip, is 
bright orange-red, the feet 
and legs of the same colour. 
The darker portions of the wing-feathers, as seen in the illustration of this bird on 
page 390, are ‘deep violet, the light patches varying in hue (according to the position 
from which they are viewed) from the palest of blue to a delicate green tint. The 
underside of the tail-feathers and a patch upon the throat are of the same deep 
purple colour as the wings. The general appearance of the bird strikes one as very 
neat and trim, the head rather large proportionately, the feet small. 
A COCK ROLLER OR DOLLAR-BIRD. 
From a museum specimen. 
Nore—Thanks to the courtesy of Mr. D. Le Souéf, Director of the Melbourne Zoo, I learn that these 
birds are considered rare in Victoria, but in Northern Australia are numerous. ‘They lay their eggs—four in 
number—in hollow branches, and are named “Rollers” on account of their peculiar motion when on the wing, 
and “Dollar-birds” because of the white markin s on the wings representing the American coin in size. 
