•366 meropidjE. 



I exhibited this bird and Mr. Ball's for the purpose of showing their 

 specific identity.* 



It was considered desirable to look as critically as possible to 

 these birds, on account of the singular fact of their appearance in 

 this hemisphere. Some ornithologists can hardly believe that they 

 crossed the Atlantic. Temminck conjectures that this cuckoo 

 must breed in the north of Europe, whence the individuals migrated 

 to the British Islands. But our knowledge of their occurrence 

 here only in the more western parts (Ireland, Wales, and 

 Cornwall), in addition to the fact, that at the very period of their 

 being met with, the species, according to Wilson and Audubon, 

 is in course of migration in the western hemisphere, seems to 

 me presumptive evidence of their having really crossed the ocean. 

 Audubon has seen this bird in summer so far north as Labrador. 

 It winters in temperate climates. 



THE EOLLEE. 



Coracias garmla, Linn. 



Appears, on the following testimony, to have visited 

 this island. 



Mr. E. Ball, when walking through the demesne at Carton, the 

 seat of the Duke of Leinster, in the middle of September, 1831, 

 had his attention attracted by a bird, pursued by a great number 

 of rooks. Instead of flying off to avoid them, it continued 

 for a considerable time (so long as he remained) to dash into the 

 midst of them, apparently for the sake only of annoyance. 

 From the size, brilliant plumage, and singular flight of this bird, 

 my friend was satisfied of its being a roller. Mr. Walker of 

 Granby Eow, Dublin, states that one of these birds, shot in the 

 county of Sligo some years ago, was preserved for a relative of his 

 who resides there. Another roller has been mentioned to me as 

 obtained in the south of Ireland some years since ; but as yet, no 

 example of the bird unquestionably killed in this island, has to 



* Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 84. 



