somewhat rounded in shape, and four or five in
number.
The notes of the Roller consist of a variety of more or
less harsh screams and ejaculations, all discordant and
unpleasant to the human ear.
I have had frequent opportunities of closely observing
the habits of this bird in Southern Europe; he seems
to avoid closely-wooded localities, and generally selects
isolated tree-tops or telegraph-posts in an open country,
from which to watch for and capture his prey; if several
individuals are about, they chase one another with loud
outcries, and seem eminently quarrelsome and unsociable;
on the ground as might be expected, their actions are
very clumsy and grotesque. I have at this time of
writing two young Rollers alive at Lilford, one of
which is tame enough, and will take food from the
hand, whilst the other is wild, stupid, and a bully to its
more amenable companion.
