158 MEROPID.E. 



sounding like rakker, rakker ! "which is repeated in quick 

 succession, and "when they are at high "words together, they 

 utter with it another note, something like wrah, wrah ! a 

 plaintive call of crea ! is their call note. During the time 

 of incubation, the male mounts to some height in the air, 

 provided the weather is fine, and repeats his varied calls ; 

 he then throws himself quickly down, tumbling over and 

 over, and resumes his station on a dead branch. 



Mature birds, when taken, never become tame, or long 

 outlive their freedom ; but if taken from the nest, they 

 may be brought up, provided they can be supplied continu- 

 ally with fresh liver, which is found to be the most di- 

 gestible food for them. They may be brought up also 

 upon insects, worms, small minced meat, &c, and they 

 soon learn to feed themselves, and, by degrees, will live 

 on lark's food. They become accustomed to their keeper, 

 but to strangers they remain wild and shy. 



The food of the Roller consists of insects, such as beetles, 

 grasshoppers, &c, also the larvse of insects, worms, and small 

 frogs. These birds eject the hard wing-coverts and legs of 

 beetles and other insects, in the same manner as the birds 

 of prey. They are said never to drink. 



The egg No. 31 belongs to the Roller. 



