INDIAN ROLLER. 391 



is a most brilliant blue- green, changing, accord- 

 ing to the direction of the light, into pure pale 

 blue, and forming a wonderfully fine contrast with 

 the deep blue before described : the tail is of the 

 same vivid appearance as the wings, the rump and 

 upper division being deep-blue, the middle part 

 pale or greenish-blue, and the tips deep-blue: the 

 two middle feathers alone are dull green or sub- 

 olivaceous; the tail is also perfectly even in this 

 species, the two exterior feathers not projecting 

 in the least degree beyond the rest: the bill is 

 black, and the legs reddish brown. This bird is a 

 native of many parts of India and the Indian 

 islands, and appears to have been unnecessarily 

 divided by Linnaeus and others into two species, 

 under the names of Coracias Indica and Benga- 

 lensis. 



Far J 



Size of the Common Roller; general colour 

 rufous, tinged with green on the back, and inclin- 

 ing to red beneath^ with a longitudinal white streak 

 on each feather: wings dull pale green: quills 

 sky-blue: tail rufous-brown, rather long, but even 

 at the end: bill black: legs dusky: head rufous, 

 with a whitish mixture in front. Observed in 

 Senegal by Monsr. Geoffrey de Villeneuve, and 

 in Caffrai-ia by Monsr. Levaillant. Mr. Latham 

 considers it as the Bengal Roller in a young or 

 unadvanced state. 



