RoLueER. OMNIVORI. CORACIAS. 85 
of Europe, living in large flocks. It is abundant in Norway, Foreign 
: sas . locality. 
Sweden, and parts of Germany, and in some districts is a re- 
gular bird of passage. It is common also in Russia; and, in 
Northern Asia, it occurs in Siberia and Kamtschatka. 
PriatE 33*. The figure is represented of the natural size, 
from a British specimen in the Edinburgh Museum. 
Bill black. Irides brown The bristly feathers covering Beteral 
the nostrils brown. Crown of the head and nape of the ee ray 
neck blackish-brown. Quills black. Tail black, with a 
broad white bar at the end. The rest of the plumage 
of a deep reddish-brown, inclining to umber-brown, va- 
ried upon the back with white guttiform spots. Those 
upon the under parts are disposed longitudinally upon 
each feather, Legs and claws black. 
Genus VI. ROLLER. CORACIAS, Linn. 
GENERIC CHARACTERS. 
Bill cultrated, higher than broad, compressed, and strait ; 
the upper mandible bent at the point. Nostrils in the base of 
the bill, linear, and lateral, pierced diagonally, and partly co- 
vered by a feathered membrane. Wings long, acuminated, 
having the first quill shorter than the second, which is the 
longest in the wing. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe. 
Feet having three toes before and one behind ; toes entirely 
divided. 
Of this genus only one species occurs in Europe. 
They are all remarkable for beauty of plumage, and the 
prevailing colours are blues of different intensity, generally 
associated with purples and brilliant greens. They are wild 
insociable birds, and live in the retirement of the thickest 
forests. 
Their food principally consists of insects. In many spe- 
cies the males are adorned by an elongation of the two outer 
tail-feathers. 
