The Common Koi.lek. BIRDS. The Javanese Todv. 
293 
purpose, whence it is known in Germany as the Birch- 
jay. In those places where trees are scarce, as in 
Malta, the Boiler is said to breed upon the ground, or 
in the holes of old buildings; and in the treeless regions 
of Southern Kussia, it makes its nest in holes of tlie 
clay-banks of the rivers. This habit is exactly similar 
to that of the Kingfishers and Bee-eaters, which are 
now associated with the Rollers in the tribe of the 
Fissirostres, and thus furnishes an additional bond of 
union between these groups of birds, which is further 
Fig. 105. 
The Ccnimon Roller (Coracias garnila). 
strengthened by the fact, that the eggs of the Roller, 
which are usually four in number, are exactly similar 
in shape and in their pure white colour, to those of 
our common Kingfisher and Bee-eater. It is a noisy 
and restless bird, a circumstance which has doubtless 
had much to do with the popular notion by which the 
Roller is associated with the Pies, and especially with 
the Jay. This, and its brilliant colouring, has also 
given rise to a comparison of this bird with the Parrots 
—it is not only called the Steppe-Parrot in Russia, but 
is also known as the German Parrot, in more western 
countries of Europe. In the autumn the young birds 
become very fat, and acquire a good flavour, when they 
are eagerly sought after in Greece and elsewhere, as a 
choice article of food. 
THE INDIAN ROLLER {Coracias inclica) is an 
abundant species in most parts of India, where it is 
regarded by the Hindoos as sacred, from a belief that 
the god Siva once assumed its form. It is a bird of 
brilliant plumage, green and blue being the prevailing 
colours; the throat and breast are reddish. The 
length is about thirteen inches. It inhabits the groves 
of trees about the villages, and also the jungle, and 
flies buoyantly, but with a constant flapping of the 
wings. In its habits it is rather shy, flying off at the 
approach of a man; but towards its feathered neigh- 
bours it exhibits considerable pugnacity of disposition, 
driving ofi the crows from its vicinity with great ease. 
Its food consists principally of large insects, such as 
grasshoppers, caterpillars, and mole-crickets, but it is 
said also to feed on mice. The nest is rather large, 
but loosely put together, built of twigs, and lined with 
grasses; it is generally placed near the summit of a 
middle-sized tree growing in the vicinity of water. 
The eggs are four or five in number, and of a deep 
blue colour. 
THE LONG-TAILED ROLLER {Coracias cauelatd) is 
of larger size than the preceding species, measuring 
from sixteen to seventeen inches in length ; it has the 
back orange-brown; the lower surface of the body, the 
head, the neck, and the wing-coverts, sea-green ; the 
forehead, a streak over each eye, and the cliin white ; 
the quill feathers of the wings blue, those of the tail 
greenish, the two middle ones being greenish-black, 
and the two outer ones, which are a good deal longer 
than the I'est, crossed by a band of blue and black 
towards the tip. This handsome bird is abundant in 
Africa, where it appears to migrate southwards in the 
summer from the tropics, towards the Cape of Good 
Hope. Its habits are not well known, but according 
to Le Vaillant it lives in the woods, and feeds both 
upon fruits and insects. In the north of Africa it is 
said to breed in holes in the banks of rivers, and also 
in the crevices of rocks, old buildings, and similar 
situations. 
THE JAVANESE TODY {Eurylaimus javanicus ) — • 
Plate G, fig. 19 — is an example of a remarkable group 
of birds belonging to this family, all of which are found ^ 
only in India, and the neighbouring islands. The 
Javanese Tody, which was discovered by Dr. Horsfield 
