The  Garrulous  Jay,  or  Common  Roller  (Coracias  gar-
rula),  is  an  inhabitant  of  Africa,  but  visits  Euroj>e,  and
even  Great  Britain,  in  the  summer  time.  On  the  stepj>es
of  Southern  Russia  it  is  abundant,  and  goes  by  the  name
of  the  Steppe  Parrot,  partly  on  account  of  its  squalling
voice,  partly  on  account  of  its  beautiful  plumage,  in
which  green,  blue,  yellow,  and  black  strive  for  supre-
macy ;  indeed,  it  is  described  as  "  resembling  a  moving
rainbow  "  when  flying  in  the  sunshine.  In  Malta  and
the  Mediterranean  islands  it  stays  throughout  the  summer,
and  breeds.  In  central  Europe  it  usually  inhabits  dense
forests,  where  it  builds  its  nest  in  the  holes  of  trees,  gene-
rally preferring  the  birch  ;  whence  it  is  known  in  Germany
as  the  Birch  Jay.  Where  trees  are  scarce,  as  in  Malta,
it  breeds  upon  the  ground,  or  in  holes  of  old  buildings  ;
and  in  the  treeless  regions  of  Southern  Russia  it  makes
its  nest  in  holes  in  the  clay  banks  of  rivers.  Its  eggs,
which  are  usually  four  in  numbei',  are  exactly  similar  in
shape  and  in  their  pure  white  colour,  to  those  of  our
common  Kingfisher  and  Bee-eater,  to  which  it  is  nearly
related.  It  is  a  noisy  and  restless  bird.  In  the  autumn
the  yo\ing  become  very  fat,  and  acquire  a  good  flavour,
so  that  they  are  eagerly  sought  after  for  the  table.
CORACID.E.
SUB-FAMILY  II.
TODIX.E.
The  Todies.
