149 



COEACIAS INDICUS. 



(INDIAN ROLLER.) 



The Blue Jay from the East Indies, Edw. Gleanings, vii. p. 247, pi. 326. 

 Galgulus mindanoensis, Briss. Orn. ii. p. 69 (1760). 

 Coracias indica, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 159 (1766, ex Edw.). 

 Coracias bengalensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 159 (1766). 

 Galgulus ncevius, Vieill. Tabl. Encycl. Method, ii. p. 868 (1823). 

 Coracias ncevius (Veill.), Wagl. Syst. Av. genus Coracias, no. 3 (1827). 



Figures notabiles. 

 Edw. 1. c. ; D'Aubenton, PI. Enl. 285. 



Ad. pileo viridi-cseruleo, fronte rufescenti-cervina. : collo postico purpureo-cervino : corpore supra sordide 

 viridi-cinereo fusco tincto, uropygio viridi-caeruleo : supracaudalibus saturate caeruleis : remigibus 

 primariis pallide caeruleis, fascia magna centrali saturate cserulea, secundariis ad basin pallide caeruleis 

 et in parte apicali saturate caeruleis : tectricibus alarum majoribus viridi-caeruleis, et tectricibus 

 minoribus saturate caeruleis : gula, gutture et pectore purpureo-vinaceis, cervino-albido striatis : corpore 

 reliquo subtiis pallide viridi-caeruleo : rostro fusco : iride rufescenti-fusca, marginibus palpebrarum 

 flavis : pedibus aurantiaco-flavis. 



Juv. adulto similis, sed coloribus sordidioribus. 



Adult (S. India) . Crown ricb blue-green, a narrow rufous-buff line at tbe base of the bill over the forehead ; 

 hind neck warm purplish buff; back, scapulars, and some of the inner secondaries dull parrot-green • 

 rump blue with a greenish tinge, becoming rich deep cobalt-blue on the upper tail-coverts ; primary 

 quills sky-blue with a broad cobalt-blue central band across the wing, and tipped with deep blue, 

 secondaries sky-blue on the basal and cobalt-blue on the terminal half; larger wing-coverts blue with 

 a greenish tinge, lesser coverts deep cobalt-blue; tail cobalt-blue with a broad sky-blue band, the 

 central rectrices uniform greenish blue; chin, throat, and breast light vinous purple striped with 

 creamy white or creamy buff; lower abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts pale greenish blue; bill 

 dusky brown'; iris dark reddish brown; eyelids yellow; legs dusky orange-yellow. Total length about 

 13*5 inches, culmen 1*3, wing 7'2, tail 5 - 2, tarsus TO. 



Young (S. India). Differs from the adult in being rather duller in colour, the throat and breast especially 

 being more of a tawny colour, and with scarcely any trace of purple. 



An inhabitant of India, this Roller ranges westward into Persia, and, as a rare straggler, even 

 into the Western Palsearctic Region. There is one undoubted European-killed example in the 

 museum of the Bebek College, at Constantinople. Several years ago Mr. Danford made a careful 

 examination of and sent me a detailed description of this specimen ; and subsequently it was 

 examined by Messrs. Sclater and E. C. Taylor, who wrote (Ibis, 1876, p. 63) respecting it as 



