THE GREEN TODY. 
121 
diversified with, a white bar. The tail is deep black. In its habits it is quick, active, and 
vigorous, chasing its insect prey through the air, and displaying great command of wing 
and powers of endurance. 
Although tolerably common on several parts of the Continent, the Garrulous Roller 
is at the present time a very rare visitant to this country. There seems, however, to be reason 
GARRULOUS ROLLER.— Coracias garrula. 
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to believe that in former days, when Europe was less cultivated and more covered with path- 
less woods, the Roller was frequently seen in the ancient forests, and that it probably built its 
nest in the hollows of trees, as it does in the German forests at the present day. 
There are many examples of the group which is gathered together under the general title 
of Rollers, the last of which is the Brachypteracias, a bird which is remarkable, as its name 
imports, for the shortness of its wings. 
In color it is rather a handsome bird, although it suffers somewhat from the proximity of 
its more brilliant relatives. The upper parts are a warm chestnut-brown, with a green gloss 
upon the shoulder. The wings are brown also, glossed with sheeny green, and marked with 
a number of black spots edged with white. The under parts are grayish-white splashed on 
the throat with chestnut, and transversely barred upon the abdomen with the same tint, 
leaving a white band across the chest. It is a native of Madagascar. 
The curious little birds which are termed Todies bear a considerable resemblance to the 
kingfisher, from which they may be easily distinguished by the flattened bill. The gape of 
the mouth is very wide, and a number of vibrissse are set around its margin. The wings and 
tail are short and rounded, and the outer toes are connected as far as the last joint. The 
Todies are natives of tropical America, and are very conspicuous among the brilliant plumaged 
and strangely shaped birds of that part of the world. 
The Greek Tody is a very small bird, being hardly larger than the common wren, but yet 
very conspicuous on account of the brilliant hues with which its plumage is decorated. The 
Vol. n.— 16. 
