119 
Obs. “ The sexes are alike in plumage. Irides dark brown ; eyelash, bill, and feet red : inside of the mouth 
yellow.” [Gould.) 
Ihe fust occunence of this biid in New Zealand was recorded by Mr. F. E. Clarke in a communica- 
tion to the Westland Institute, on the 18th February, 1881* * * § , the author regarding it as the 
representative of a new genus which he characterized as Hirundolanius. His description of the 
form left no doubt on my mind that the bird was the common Australian Roller, and the subsequent 
receipt of the specimen itself at the Colonial Museum confirmed that view. Another example (now 
in my collection) was shortly afterwards obtained at Parihaka, a few miles from New Plymouth. 
Ihere is a specimen m the Auckland Museum f shot by Mr. Cowan in a patch of bush near the sea, 
at Piha Bay, about ten miles north of Manukau harbour, towards the end of 1881 ; Mr. Tryon has 
m his possession the skin of another obtained near the Waiwakaio river, in the district of Taranaki, 
about a month later; and the Canterbury Museum contains a specimen received about the same period 
from Westland J. r 
Thus the bird has occurred almost simultaneously at no less than four places, far apart from one 
another, but all on the west coast ; and, although of course only a visitant from Australia, the species 
has fully established its right to a place in the New-Zealand avifauna. 
Mr. Caley, writing of this Roller in New South Wales, says § “ It is a bird of passage. The 
earliest period of the year at which I have noticed it was on the 3rd of October, 1809 ; and I have 
missed it early in February. It is most plentiful about Christmas.” 
Mr. Gould gives us the following account of its habits : — 
In Austialia the Roller would appear to be a very local species, for I have never seen it from 
any other part of the country than New South Wales ; but the late Mr. Elsey informed me that he 
found it very common in the Victoria basin, and that it became very numerous about the head of the 
Lynd. It arrives early in spring, and, having brought forth its progeny, retires northwards on the 
approach of winter. It appeared to be most active about sunrise and sunset ; in sultry weather it 
was generally perched upon some dead branch in a state of quietude. It is a very bold bird at all 
times, but particularly so during the breeding-season, when it attacks with the utmost fury any 
intruder that may venture to approach the hole in the tree in which its eggs are deposited. 
“ When intent upon the capture of insects it usually perches upon the dead upright branch of a 
tree growing beside and overhanging water, where it sits very erect, until a passing insect attracts its 
notice, when it suddenly darts off, secures its victim, and returns to the same branch ; at other times 
it may constantly be seen on the wing, mostly in pairs, flying just above the tops of the trees, diving 
and rising again with many rapid turns. During flight the silvery-white spot on the centre of each 
wing shows very distinctly, and hence the name of Dollar Bird bestowed upon it by the Colonists. 
It is a veiy noisy biid, particularly in dull weather, when it often emits its peculiar chattering 
note during flight. 
“ It is said to take the young Parrots from their holes and kill them, but this I never witnessed ; 
the stomachs of the many I dissected contained the remains of Coleoptera only. 
“ The breeding-season lasts from September to December ; and the eggs, which are three and 
sometimes four in number, are deposited in the hole of a tree, without any nest; they are of a 
* Trans. N.-Z. Instit. vol. xiii. p. 454. 
t Of. Cheeseman, op. cit. vol. xiv. pp. 264-265. 
t ki addition to Mr. F. E. Clarke’s note, it may be mentioned that an old Australian, then living at Okarito, was certain 
that he had seen the hird in the Queen Charlotte’s Sound district.” (Journ. of Science, ii. p. 275.) 
§ Trans. Linn. Soe. vol. xv. p. 202. 
