SIX MONTHS’ BIRD COLLECTING IN EGYPT. 147 
that does not hold its pair, and the Nabuk, the Cypress, 
and all the other trees which afford shade and shelter, are 
acceptable to them. Again, they are equally at home on 
the flat roofs of the mud hovels, or down the inside of the 
“shadoofs;” or if there are any dismantled mills or caverns, 
there you will see the “Booma” bobbing to his own music 
and turning his head round to geta look at you. They 
certainly pair early, and are more diurnal than most Owls 
for I have seen them about and on the feed at noonday. I 
have marked one rise into the air some thirty feet, catch an 
insect—apparently a locust—and return to his perch ona 
Sont tree, 
33. ROLLER, Coracias garrula, Linn.; “ Zeturney.” 
No one who has not seen a Roller can form an idea of 
its exceeding beauty. Fortunately for them, they do not 
arrive in Egypt until long after the majority of the travellers 
have left. The first was seen on the oth of April, though 
it was half a field off us its colours showed out brilliantly ; 
and it was not until the 22nd that we sawa second. They 
never became at all common. Indeed I must consider 
them much rarer than the Golden Oriole. Food, small 
frogs, etc. 
34. BLUE-CHEEKED BEEEATER, Merops egyptius, Forsk ; 
M. superciliosus (Ibis, 1871, p. 75). 
This handsome species was seen on the 29th of March. 
Flocks of a score or so were going north, and we often 
heard their clear note before we could see them. A week 
later and the Common«Beeeater began to come in great 
numbers, when the Blue-cheeked totally disappeared; but 
in May we again found a few pairs settled apparently for 
the summer. At the Faioum there were a good many 
