18



Jean Delacour — My Long-tailecl Boiler



and is a great authority on the fauna of that part of the world, told me

that it was only last year, after about twelve years’ trial, that he

succeeded in keeping a Roller in captivity, in the native country of the

bird !


When I obtained my Long-tailed Roller, in January, 1920, he was

a very ugly greenish-grey creature, with dreadfully dirty feathers. But

his tameness, coupled with the pleasure I found in acquiring a Roller,

which was certainly not the well-known Indian species, was quite

sufficient to make me happy. I did not know exactly which species

he belonged to, as several are found in Africa, and the information I had

about his native country was somewhat uncertain.


As my bird-rooms were not quite ready at the time, Mme. Lecallier

kindly took the Roller en 'pension and at my next visit I saw some

lilac feathers appearing amongst the grey ones of the breast, showing

that beyond doubt the bird was the Long-tailed Roller, Coracias

caudatus.


He went through the moult within two months, and was in full

plumage in April. His tameness soon made him a pet and he flew about

loose in Mme. Lecallier's bird-room until May. But then, the bird-room

having been closed for some reason, the Roller was confined in a cage,

and three weeks later had a fit and very nearly died. No doubt that was

occasioned by lack of exercise. My place being ready by this time, I

took the Roller with me and let him out in one of the bird-rooms.

He recovered in a few days, and has never ceased to be in perfect health

since. He moulted again in August, and is now in perfect plumage.

He has a roomy wooden cage, where he sleeps, and is left until 11 a.m.,

when the cleaning of the room is finished ; then he is let out and enjoys

liberty in the room until 8 p.m. He sits on the cages and on the top of

the aviaries, has some discussions with the Giant Barbet through the

wire of the aviary, and takes a flight almost every two minutes. When

I come in he flies to me, opens his wonderful blue wings in salute,

uttering his loud crow-like call, and he takes the keenest interest in

everybody and everything. His diet consists of insectile mixture, a

little raw meat, and half a dozen mealworms a day. He touches apples

sometimes, and altogether wants rather a large quantity of food.


I believe that the only Long-tailed Roller which has ever been



