278 THE GREEN TODY. 
Africa is the Jegitimate home of the Roller, which passes from that land in 
the early spring, and makes its way to Europe, vwé Malta and the Mediter- 
ranean islands, which afford it resting-places during its long journey. 
Accordingly, in those islands the Rollers are found in great plenty, and as 
they are considered a great delicacy when fat ind in good condition, they 
are killed in considerable numbers, and exposed for sale like pigeons, whose 
flesh they are said greatly to resemble. Even in its flight it possesses some- 
thing of the pigeon character, 
having often been observed 
while flying at a considerable 
elevation to “tumble” after 
the manner of the well-known 
tumbler pigeons. It is rather 
curious that throughout Asia 
Minor the Rollers and mag- 
pies were always found in 
close proximity to each other. 
The food of the Roller is al- 
most wholly ofan insect nature, 
but is diversified with a few 
berries and other vegetable 
productions. It has even been 
known to become carnivorous 
in its habits, for, according to 
Temminck, it sometimes feeds 
on the smaller mammalia. 
Worms, slugs, millipedes, 
. and similar creatures also fall 
= victims to its voracity. 
In the colouring of its 
plumage it is truly a gorgeous 
bird. The general tint of the 
: head, neck, breast, and abdo- 
GREEN TODY.—(TZodus viridis.) men is that peculiar green 
blue termed “ verditer” by 
artists, changing into pale green in certain lights, and deepening into rich 
azure upon the shoulders. The back is a warm chestnut-brown, changing to 
purple upon the upper tail-coverts. The tail is of the same verditer hue as 
the head and neck, with the exception of the exterior feathers, which are 
furnished with black tips. The quill feathers of the wings are of a dark 
blue-black, becoming lighter at their edges, and the legs are covered with 
chestnut-brown feathers like those of the back. These gorgeous hues are 
not attained until the bird has passed through the moult of its second year. 
Both male and female are nearly equally decorated, the latter being slightly 
less brilliant than her mate. It is not a very large bird, scarcely exceeding a 
foot in total length. ' 
THE curious little birds which are termed TODIEs bear a considerable 
resemblance to the kingfishers, from which they may be easily distinguished 
by the flattened bill. : 
The Todies are natives of tropical America, and are very conspicuous 
among the brilliant-plumaged and strangely-shaped birds of that part of the 
world, 
The GREEN TODY is a very small bird, being hardly larger than the 
common wren of England, but yet very conspicuous on account of the brilliant 
hues with which its plumage is decorated. The whole of the upper surface 
