I have lately received a letter from one of my friends, in which he expresses himself thus:--"I have reared a magpie which comes like a cat to rub itself against me until I caress it. It has learnt of itself to fly into the country and return. It follows me everywhere, even for more than a league, so that I have much trouble to rid myself of it, and when I do not wish its company in my walks and visits I am obliged to shut it up: though wild with any other person, it marks in my eyes the least change in my temper. It will sometimes fly to a great distance with other magpies, without however connecting itself with them." THE ROLLER. Coracias Garrula, LINNÆUS; Le Rollier d'Europe, BUFFON; Die Mandelkrähe, BECHSTEIN. This bird resembles the jay in size and form, and is twelve inches in length, of which the tail measures four and a half; the beak is blackish, before and behind the eyes is a blackish triangular spot, formed by the naked skin; the iris of the eye is grey; the whole of the head, the neck, the throat, the breast, the belly, the large wing-coverts, and all the under-coverts, are of a beautiful bluish green; the tail is of a dusky blue green near the base, becoming gradually lighter towards the end. The female and young ones of the first year have the head, neck, breast, and belly of a reddish grey tinged with bluish green; the back and the last quill-feathers are of a light greyish brown; the rump is green, tinged with indigo; the tail blackish with a tint of blue green; the rest like the male. HABITATION.--In its wild state the roller may be found in Europe and the northern parts of Africa; it only frequents a few spots in Germany, and prefers forests and sandy plains to high mountains: elsewhere it is only seen during the time of its passage[19]. In the house it may be let range at will after the wings are clipt. FOOD.--When wild, its principal food is insects and worms; it also eats small frogs, bulbous roots, acorns, and grains of corn. BREEDING.---The nest, placed in the hole of a tree, is made of small twigs, hay, feathers, and bristles. It lays from four to seven white eggs, on which the male takes his turn to sit during eighteen or twenty days. The young ones do not acquire their fine colours till the second year; previous to this period the head, neck, and breast are of a whitish grey. I had till lately thought that this bird was untamable; but Dr. Meyer of Offenbach has convinced me to the contrary, having himself reared them several times, and kept them in his room. This is his method: