CORACIAS LORTL 
PINK-THEOATED EOLLEE, 
Coracias caudata (nee Linn.), Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. (2) i. p. 115 (1884). 
Coracias lorti, Shelley, Ibis, 1885, p. 399; Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. (2) vi. p. 224 (1888); Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. 
Mus. xvii. p. 20 (1892). 
Figum nulla. 
Hab. East Africa (Somaliland and Shoa). 
Ad. suprk sicut in C. caudato coloratus, sed pileo vix saturatiore: mento alhido: gula Iset^ lilacina sicut in 
C. caudato, sed jugulo, pectore et corpore subtiis turcino-caeruleis : rostro nigro; pedibus griseis : iride fusc4. 
Adult male (Shoa, May 1).—Upper portions, wings, and tail as in Coracias caudatus, but the 
crown rather darker in tone of colour; chin dull white; upper throat vinous-lilac, this colour, 
however, not extending beyond the line of the end of the ear-coverts ; lower throat and rest of the 
underparts turquoise-blue as in Coracias ahyssinicus, but rather darker: bill black; legs grey; iris 
brown. Total length about 13 inches, culmen 1’35, wing 6‘7, tail 7’2, the outermost rectrices 
extending 2'45 beyond the central ones, tarsus 1. 
Young male (Shoa).—Differs from the adult in not having the outer tail-feathers elongated, and 
in being generally duller in colour; the throat is dull brownish vinous and the upper part of the 
breast is dull pale brownish tinged with blue, the rest of the underparts being much duller than 
in the adult. 
This, one of the more recently discovered species of Roller, appears to intervene between C. caudatus 
and C. ahyssinicus, its habitat, so far as we know, being in the southern portion of the range of the 
latter species, and far to the north of the range of C. caudatus. First discovered in Somaliland by 
Mr. Lort Phillips, who met with it on two or three occasions on the plateau, it has also been met 
with in Shoa by the Italian travellers Count August Bontourline and Dr. Leopold Traversi, and the 
two specimens obtained by these gentlemen are now in my collection. 
In general appearance the present species is intermediate between C. dbyssinicus and C. caudatus, 
and it will be interesting, when the country gets better explored, to ascertain how far its range 
extends, and especially how far south it occurs. 
Respecting the habits and nidification of this Roller there is as yet nothing on record. The 
specimen figured is the type, for the loan of which I am indebted to Captain Shelley, in whose 
