. The royal natural history. rdh, not unlike that which a3^oung jackdaw sometimes utters; this last is their call-note. These notes veryoften vary, and the bird is generally heard before he is seen. In fine weatherthe male rises in the air near where the female is incubating, uttering a singlerack, rack-rack, etc., until he attains a considerable height, from which he suddenlyfalls, always turning a somersault, and throwing himself here and there in the ROLLERS. 8i air, uttering quickly the following Tdh-rdrdh-rrdh-rrd, etc. etc., which he alwayschanges to the rack as soon as ever he begins to
. The royal natural history. rdh, not unlike that which a3^oung jackdaw sometimes utters; this last is their call-note. These notes veryoften vary, and the bird is generally heard before he is seen. In fine weatherthe male rises in the air near where the female is incubating, uttering a singlerack, rack-rack, etc., until he attains a considerable height, from which he suddenlyfalls, always turning a somersault, and throwing himself here and there in the ROLLERS. 8i air, uttering quickly the following Tdh-rdrdh-rrdh-rrd, etc. etc., which he alwayschanges to the rack as soon as ever he begins to turn his somersault, and thenreturns to his seat on a dead branch. This appears to represent his song. Thebird chooses a sandy country as its breeding-home, and affects thin woods whereold oaks are scattered through, and which are adjacent to open fields and nearlarge forests, particularly of pines, making its nest in hollow oak, ash, or othertrees, and lining the interior with roots, straw, feathers, and hair. The male and. ORIENTAL HOLLKR (J Iiat. size). female incubate in turn foi- the space of not (juite three weeks, and wlien breeding they sit so close tliat, though at other times very shy, they may be caught ou the nest. Broad-BiUed These rollei-s inhabit Africa, Madagascar, India, and China, Rouers. ranging north to Eastern Siberia and south to the Malay Ai-cliipelago and Australia. They have the bill as broad as it is long at the gape. The oriental roller (Eanjstomvs oriental is) has the tail black with a bluish base: the head blackish as well as the mantle; tlie back green, and the under surface blue, with VOL. IV.—6 82 jriCylK/AN IURJ)S. ilic iliroiiL ,siiv;ikclu(;, roniiiiig ;i oiir(hlloii, wHiyx staling that he was attracted by the chattering of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booksubjectzoology
