I have had frequent opportunities of observing both the eggs and young, which are deposited and reared in holes, made in the sandy banks of rivers or any similar situation in the forest favourable for the purpose. The entrance is about the size of a mouse-hole, and is continued for a yard in depth, at the end of which is an excavation of sufficient size for the reception of the parent, and the deposition on the bare sand of four or five beautiful white eggs, which are ten lines long by eight or nine lines broad.
The stomach is tolerably muscular, and the food consists of various insects, principally coleoptera and neuroptera.
The sexes are alike in plumage, and may be thus described:—
Forehead, line over the eye, back and wing-coverts brownish-green; crown of the head and nape orange-brown; wings orange-brown, passing into green on the extremities of the primaries, and broadly tipped with black; two or three of the scapularies, lower part of the back, rump and upper tail-coverts cœrulean blue; tail black, most of the feathers, particularly the two centre ones, slightly margined with blue; lores, line beneath and behind the eye and ear-coverts velvety black; beneath which is a stripe of cœrulean blue; throat rich yellow, passing into orange on the sides of the neck; beneath this a broad band of deep black; under surface like the back, becoming green on the lower part of the abdomen; under tail-coverts light blue; irides light brownish red; bill black; legs and feet mealy greenish grey.
The young are destitute of the black on the throat, and of the blue line beneath the eye.
The figures are of the natural size.
EURYSTOMUS AUSTRALIS: Swains.
J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. C. Hullmandel Imp.
EURYSTOMUS AUSTRALIS, Swains.
Australian Roller.
Eurystomus orientalis, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 202.