30



Birds in Macedonia.



and the yellow colour gradually darkens to the tail and wings, which

are dark.*


Two lovely birds, which we shall always remember after the

war is over, are the “ sun-bird,” or hee-eater, and the roller (or blue

jay). They are often seen together, and there are men who con¬

fuse them. There is much blue about them both ; hut whereas the

roller has a uniform sky-blue hue, the colour of the bee-eater is much

more mysterious and suggestive. The blue of the body is deeper

and more iridescent. Its upper parts are varying shades of yellow,

the head being a fine copper colour, with light yellow in front, edged

behind with white. The cry is heard much, and resembles a short;

high-pitched “ purr purr.” The flight is graceful and swallow-like,

tail has a long, central projection, producing a spike instead

of two long laterals, forming the forked tail of the swallow.!


It must prey upon very large flying insects, because these

can be so distinctly seen, even at a distance. I hope to find a nest

in the hole of a bank, and describe it and the eggs. The roller has

a nut-brown back. It is very active, consorting much with jackdaws,

upon which it makes prodigious dives in the air when it is disturbed.

Perhaps these dives with the rolling motion and semi-closed wings

give the name of “ roller ” to the bird.


Mere enumeration of the birds of Macedonia would be tedious,

else I might also describe various waders— the Little Bustard, a

small Cormorant on the ponds, the Black-headed Tern, Black-headed

Yellow Wagtail, Great-Crested Grebe, Gold-Crest, the Shrikes, Great

Grey and Red-backed Quail, and Pelicans, a flock of which passed

over us yesterday. J



* [The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron per cnopterus) . — G. R.]


f [In 1908 several bee-eaters were observed flying at a considerable height over a

river in Algeria. So swallow-like did they appear that the writer only recog¬

nised them by their flashing yellow breasts. — G. R.].


[We should be most pleased to have some more of Captain Potter’s interesting

notes, and congratulate ourselves on being able to publish these, since it was

very evident that the MS. had been in the sea ! —Ed.]



