I05


it has not been accustomed to, and that, too often, it has con-

tracted bad habits before it reaches one's hands. In the dealer's

shop, it is usually a half-ruined, raw-meat eating creature,

seldom attractive, sometimes wholly repulsive ; but patience and

gentleness bestowed on the Roller will be amply repaid — if you

hestow enough.


It is now several years since I received my first Roller.

It was little but a bag-of-bones, a bag, by the way, which sorely

needed mending, for the skin and flesh had been knocked off

the bones by the poor creature's mad batterings against the wires

of a most unsuitable cage, and the bones in the bag-in-rags were

about all that was left for me to carry home ; and many a long

day passed before I could get the poor creature decently clothed,

but it came to its right mind much sooner than might have been

■expected. A year or two ago my notice was attracted by some

letters about British Birds, in which the Roller was more than

once referred to as a suitable species for the Show Bench. I am

strongly of opinion that it is about as unsuitable a species as

could easily be found, for, as I have already said, it is

exceptionall}^ nervous and timid ; and without rhyme or

reason it dashes about anyhow, an3^where, absolutely regardless

of consequences, and of its own and of its owner's feelings.


This first Roller of mine was a specimen of no small

interest, for it was a fairly natural bird, and very different from

those one usually sees in captivity. In the summer following its

arrival, it was placed in the garden along with Hawks, Crows,

Jays, and Pies, of many kinds and climes ; and it had to be on

the alert if it wanted its dinner. Its favourite portions were

grapes and cockroaches ; and in Greece, by the way, I found the

Roller in the vineyards, in the midst of scores of acres of grapes.

It also ate worms, mealworms, sop, cooked cabbage, etc. I still

have a lively remembrance of this bird, when a plate of scraps

from our midday meal was put out, swooping down and seizing

upon the cabbage, gulping down huge pieces, almost choking

itself in its haste — but it would take a good deal to choke a

Roller. Many of the older writers were agreed that the Roller

partakes of vegetable food ; probably we cannot materially

improve upon Wood, who says that the food is " almost wholly

of an insect nature, but is diversified with a few berries and

other vegetable productions." Modern writers, however, will

not allow this, and mostly tell us that the Roller is " purely

insectivorous," that " There seems to be no evidence that it

€ver eats grain, or in fact any vegetable substances," and the



