40$ R O h h E R,
^GARRULOUS
ROLLER.
INSCRIPTION.
P l a c e ».
Coracias garrula, Lin. Syji. i, p. 159. N° 1 •'—Scop, ann. i. p. 40. N° 44.
Le Roilier, B'rif. urn. ii. p. 64. pi. .5. if. 2.— 486.
—— ——— d’Europe, 5«/*. eif. iii. p. 135. pi. 10.
Blave racke, Birck-heher, Fri/ch. t. 57.
The Roller, RüiiByh. p. 41. N° 3. p. 42.— Will. orn. p. 131. pi. ïö .—
Br. Zmh apf .. p. 624. pi. 2.~Ed<w. pi. 109. 2?r. Af«/". Lev. Mu/.
C IZ E of a Jay: length twelve inches and a half. Bill black,
ftrait-, hooked at the point; bafe befet with briftles, but do
not cover the noftrils; fpace about the eyes foffiewhat bare: the
head, neck, •breaft, and belly, are of a light blueilh green : back
and fcapulars reddifo brown: coverts on the ridge Of the wing
rich blue, beneath them pale green j upper part and tips of the
qupls duflcy; the lower parts o f a fine deep blue-; rump of this lalt
colour: tail forked, of a light blue j the outer feathdr tipped with
black above, and beneath with deep blue, as is the cafe with foch
part of the quill feathers as is black above j the Other tail feathers
are dull green : legs foort, and o f a dirty yellow.
Mr. Pennant, from whom the above defcription is taken, ob-
ferves that thefe birds are frequent in feveral parts of Europe, in
molt parts of which it is a bird o f pafiage. Mention is made of
them in Sweden* and Denmarkf on the one hand, and as far as
Africa J on the other; not that they are -found in all the parts
between, nor in the fame plenty. Willughby tells us, that in Germany,
Sicily, and Malta, they are fo common as to be fold in the
markets, and in poulterers foops, It has been called by fome
* Faun. Stuc. N° 94. 4 Br. Zool. app, p. 624.
1 Shaw's Trav. p. Vop, 8vo. p. 24. 1C7.
the
the Strajburg Jay; but I find it to be very fcarce there, Edwards
mentions one foot on Gibraltar rock. Adanfon * obferves, that it
“ comes to refide for fome months of the fummer in the fouthern
parts of Europe, and goes back to fpend the remainder of the year
in Senegal,” having foot one on board the foip, on its pafiage, in
Aprili and in another place fays, that they are at Senegal in flocks,
along with the Cardinal Sparrows.
Frifcb obferves, that it makes its nefts in woods, where there is
birch,; that it does not come to its colour till the fecond year j
flies in troops in autumn ; often feen in -tilled grounds, with
■ Rooks and other birds, fearching for worms, fmall feeds, and
roots f . Its .flefo taftes like that of a Turtle. It is laid alfo
fometimes to-make the neft in holes .in the .ground t , jn .one o f
which nefts two.eggs were found. The neft ,is .generally .filthy,
from the young evacuating their.excrements therein; whence by
fome it was faid to make the . neft o f excrements.
Shaw, in Travels, mentions a bird by the name of SJoagarag, a y« w r .
and defcribes it as having the foape of a Jay, but a fmaller bill,
and foorter legs : the body brown above: head, neck, and belly,
light green; wings and tail fpotted with deep blue.
This is a Barbary bird, and, no doubt, only a fmall variety of
the other. He fays, that it build's the neft at the Tides of rivers,
•and its cry is iharp and fiirill.
^WejaFetold ip the Britijh Zoology, .that it has-been twice foot
ftp England, and is remarkable for making A . chattering noife,
-from which it is called by fome Garrulus.
* AtarJ. V.ry. f-Alfo .beetles.and frogs. Faun. Sue;,
.1*
'I 9
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