230 



Catalogue ef the Birds 



[ApBit 



The Indian Roller is of universal distribaiion throughout the countrVf 

 as well in jungles as in the open couuiiy, there being few groves of 

 trees near a village that do not harbour some. It generally takes its 

 percu on the loy or outermost branch of some lofty tree, and on spy- 

 ing an insect on the ground, which it can do at a very great distance, 

 40 or 50 yards and more, it flies direct to the spot, and generally 8eizes 

 if on ih2 ground, and then returns to the same tree and perch. A 

 favourite perch of the Roller is a bowrie pole, or some bare leafless tree, 

 by wliich it can command a larger range of view. It occasionally seats 

 itself on a low bush, or even on the ground. I have on several occa- 

 sions seen one pursue an insect in the air for sume distance. It flies in 

 general wiih a slow bat continiied flapping of its wings, but ii has the 

 habit of occasionally making sudden darts in the air in all directions. 

 It has a hir^h grating cry vrhicli it often utters on being disturbed. Its 

 food is chiefly large iuaects, such as grasbhoppers and their larvae, 

 caterpillars, mole-crickets, and even mice, which according to the 

 shikarees are a certain bait for the Subzuk. I have frequently seen it 

 caught by bailing with mole-crickets (GryllotalpceJ placed at a great 

 distmce from its perch. 



Irides dark red b'own ; bill brown; legs orange. Length 13^; wing 

 71 ; tail 5 ; tarsus 1 ; bill at gape 1 -f^ths. 



Towards the north of the Deccan at Jaulnah, shikarees inform me 

 that another kind of Suizuk, which they call the * Pindareea Nt-elkund,* 

 makes its appearance for a short time during the commencement of tne 

 eold weaiher. Is this the Eurystomus Orientaiis ?■ 



Family YLkl.ZXO'^lT) K.--Kmg. fishers. 



Genus HALCYON.— Sw. 



Scb-Gencs HALCYON— Sw, 



244.— Smyrnmni,—Alc, Smyrnensis, Auct.—Ktlktla, B.,— White 

 Ireaited King-fiiher, 



This is the most common and generally spread of the Indian King- 

 fiherg, frequenting not only the banks of rivers and brooks, tanks, 

 wells, and wet pnddy-fields, but also dry cultivated groun^J, groves, old 

 walls, and many other similar situations. It preys upon small fish, 

 frogs, tadpoles and various water insects— also on small lizards, grass* 

 hoppers and various other large insects. 



