104 
Hab. Madagascar^ Mayotte, and Anjuan. 
ad. pileo cristato, nigro-plumbeo viridi tincto: capite reliquo et collo saturate cinereis: corpore suprk cum 
alis saturate et nitide viridibus cupreo tiuctis : remigibus nigricantibus viridi tiuctis et in pogouio interno ad 
basin albis : cauda uigro-cinerea, viridi et cupreo tincta: corpore subtus saturate ciuereo, subcaudalibus et 
subalaribus albidis : rostro uigro-fusco : pedibus aurautiaco-flavidis : iride fusca. 
$ ad. major: capite et collo rufesceutibus nigro fasciatis, pileo fere nigro indistiucte rufescente notato: corpore 
supra fusco, sordid^ viridi et cupreo niteute, et fulvido notato : cauda fusca, versus apicem uigricante et fulvido 
apicata : corpore subtus pallide cervino viridi-nigro guttato, subalaribus cervino-albidis. 
$ juv. foeminae similis, sed minor, corpore supra sicut in $ 
nitente. 
adulto sed sordidiore : caud4 fusca indistiucte viridi 
Adult male (Imerina, Madagascar).—Head and neck, excepting the crown, dark ashy grey; 
crown crested, dark blackish plumbeous glossed with green ; rest of the upper parts dark iridescent 
green tinged with copper-red; primaries blackish glossed with steel-green, and at the base of the 
feathers white on the inner web ; tail blackish grey, glossed with green and copper-red ; underparts 
dark ashy grey, becoming nearly pure white on the under tail-coverts and the under surface of the 
wings: bill blackish brown; legs orange-yellow; iris brown. Total length about 16 inches, culmen 
1’5, wing 10, tail 7‘8, tarsus 1*2. 
Adult female (Imerina, Madagascar).—Head and neck rich reddish barred with black, the crown, 
however, black, but slightly marked with dark reddish brown; back brown, glossed with dull green 
and coppery red and spotted with dark reddish brown; wung-coverts more marked with chestnut-red ; 
quills blackish grey, the inner webs white at the base; tail earthy brown, becoming blackish towards 
the end, and slightly tipped with chestnut-red; underparts pale rufous buff, spotted with greenish 
black; under wing-coverts buffy white; soft parts as in the male. In size rather larger than the 
male. Total length about 16’5 inches, culmen 1*6, wing 10*5, tail 8*2, tarsus 1*2, 
Young male (Imerina).—Resembles the female, but has the back unspotted and as in the adult 
male, but much duller in colour, and the tail is rather darker and greyer and slightly glossed with 
dull green. 
The present species inhabits Madagascar, where it is much commoner than the other aberrant Rollers 
which are found in that island, and it also occurs on Mayotte and the island of Anjuan, but is replaced 
on Grand Comoro by a closely allied though specifically distinct form. It has, owing to some 
strange error, been stated (Franklin, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 121) to have occurred in India and 
(Sykes P. Z. S. 1832, p. 97) in the Hukhun; but it is scarcely necessary to say that this cannot be 
correct. There is but very little on record respecting the habits of this Roller, and the best, and in 
fact the only detailed, account is that given by Grandidier, who writes {1. c.) as follows:—“The 
Cuckoo-Rollers are common birds everywhere in Madagascar, at least where there is wood. It is not 
found in the arid mountains of the interior, but one of us saw one sailing below the foot of Anton- 
gadrahoja. They live in small family-parties of ten or a dozen individuals, which consist always of 
