CATALOGUE. 
573 
" The Indian Eoller is of universal distribution throughout the 
country, as well in jiuigles as in the open country, there being few 
gro.ves of trees near a village that do not harbour some. It generally 
takes its perch on the top or outermost branch of some lofty tree, 
and on spying an insect on the ground, which it can do at a very 
great distance, — 40 or 50 yards, — it flies direct to the spot, and 
generally seizes it on the ground, and then returns to the same tree 
and perch. A favourite perch of this bird is a bowrie-pole, or some 
bare leafless tree, by which it can command a larger view. It occa- 
sionally seats itself on a low bush, or even on the ground. I have 
on several occasions seen one pursue an insect in the air for some 
distance. It flies in general with a slow but continued flapping of 
its wings, but it has the habit of occasionally making sudden darts 
in the air in all directions. Its food is chiefly large insects, such as 
grasshoppers and their larvae, caterpillars, mole-crickets, and even 
mice. " — ( Jerdon.) 
" Nest rather large, thin, scanty, of twigs and grasses within, 
loosely put together, on medium-sized trees, generally at summits, 
and near water. Eggs four or five, broad, but rather pointed at the 
ends, full deep Antwerp-blue. July." — (Captain Tickell.) 
" This bird is afraid of man's approach, and is pugnacious, driving 
away the Crow without much eff'ort : it is a very noisy, screaming 
bird. AYith the Hindoos it is esteemed sacred : they consider it 
propitious if seen on the day which concludes the Dussorah, or 
Durga Puja festivals, and discharge their matchlocks to put it on the 
wing. The Burmahs annually send parties to procure the feathers 
of this bird."— (C. W. Smith, J. A. S., X. p. 651.) 
" This bird is considered by the Brahmins in some measure sacred, 
as the god Siva, when he was called NilMant, assumed its form ; it 
is not, however, an object of worship, but is venerated on account 
of the deity having appeared in its shape. Before the Durga Puja, 
in September or October, the Hindoos of Calcutta who can aff'ord it 
purchase one of these birds, and at the time when they throw the 
image of Durga into the river, they set the Nil-hhant at liberty." — 
(P. Buchanan Hamilton.) 
" Common and widely distributed in Ceylon, being very partial to 
the small clumps of trees scattered over the cultivated parts of the 
Jaffna peninsula : they are also very fond of sitting on the top of the 
well-whips in the fields. It breeds in hollow trees, laying four or 
five greenish eggs, profusely speckled with dark-brown spots. Axis 
15 lines, diameter 11 lines." — (Layard.) 
VOL. II. r 
