ROLLER, OR DOLLAR BIRD. 
little value in the consideration of the relationships of the species, the chief 
theme being resettings of the above. 
Gould’s notes on this species are full and interesting, and are here quoted : 
“ In Australia 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 basm, and that it became very numerous about the head of the Lynd. 
It arrives early in spring, and, after 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 grovdng 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 in the centre of each 
wing shows very distinctly, and hence the name of Dollar Bird bestowed upon 
it by the colonists. It is a very noisy bird, 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 sexes are alike in plumage.” 
Captain S. A. White writes : “I have only met with this bird in New 
South Wales, where it delights to sit on the topmost branch of a dead tree ; 
have often seen them hawking for flying insects from their elevated perch.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby has written me : “ I met with this bird in the Blackall 
Ranges about 70 miles North of Brisbane. The bird used the bare bough 
of the tallest trees as a sort of look-out, and from that point of vantage was 
hawking after insects. I have never seen this bird in South Australia, |tnd 
specimens I received from Port Keats, Northern Territory, measure rhuch 
smaller than those collected in Southern Queensland.” 
Mr. Thos. P. Austin has written me from Cobbora, New South Wales : 
“ Dollar Birds usually arrive here early in October, and always resort to the 
same favoured locality to breed, but I cannot remember ever having seen 
them nesting a second time in the same hollow, but I have once known them to 
return to the same tree for this purpose, but used another hollow. They prefer 
yoL. VIL 
73 
