PASSERINiE. 321 



it. It inhabits the highest ridges of the Alps and Pyrenees, 

 nestling there among the cliffs or in the fissures of the rocks like 

 the Chocardj It is less common, however, and does not so often 

 unite in flocks. It feeds both on fruit and insects, and when it 

 descends into the valleys, snow or bad weather may be ex- 

 pected. (1) 



UpupA, properly so styled.. 



The Hoopoes have an ornament on the head formed of a double 

 range of long feathers, which they can erect at will. There is one 

 in Europe, 



U, epops, L.; Enl. 52; Naum. 142. (The Hoopoe.) A vinous- 

 red; wings and tail, black; two transverse, white bands on the 

 coverts of the wings, and four on the quills. It seeks insects in 

 humid earth, lays its eggs in holes of trees or of walls, and 

 leaves France in winter. (2) 



U. capensis; Enl. 697. (The Cape Hoopoe.) More particu- 

 larly allied to Fregilus by the anterior, short, and immovable 

 feathers of its tuft which incline forwards and cover the nostrils. 



Promerops, Briss. 



No crest on the head, and a very long tail; the tongue, extensible 

 and forked, enables it, as is affirmed, to live on the nectar of flowers, 

 like the Cinnyris and the Hummingbirds. (3) 



(1) It is impossible to say what combination of the history of this bird with im- 

 perfect figures, perhaps of some Curlew, gave birth to the ideal species of the 

 Crave huppe or Sonneur [Corvus eremlta, L. ), a pretended bird of Switzerland, which 

 has never been seen by any one since Gesner. But the Corv. affinis. Lath, appears 

 to be a true Fregilus, and we have a totally black species from New Holland. 



(2) Add the African species, Upupa minor, Vielll. Prom. pi. ii, and Gal. pi. 184; 

 Vaill. Prom. 23. 



(3) Vieill. Galer. pi. clxsxv, has changed Promerops into Falcinellus. The only 

 one well known is the Upupa promerops or Merops caffer, Enl. 627, which is the 

 Sucrier du protea, Vaill. Afr. 139. M. Vaill. is of opinion that the Vp.fusca, Gm., 

 or papuensis. Lath. Enl. 638, is the female of the Epimaque d parements frises, Enl. 

 639. The Up. paradlsoea, Seb. I, pi. xxx, 8, is the Muscicapa paradisi, with an ill 

 drawn beak. The Up. aurantia, Seb. I, Ixvi, 5, according to all appearance a 

 Cassicus. The mexicana, Seb. I, xlv, 3, is not from Mexico as Seba makes it out, 

 by applying to it a passage of Nieremberg, lib. x, c. 44, in which he merely speaks 

 of a Duck. I am in doubt whether to place here the Promerops coeruleus, Shaw; 

 Prom, bleu, Vieill.; Upupa Indica, Lath, or to approximate it to the Up. erythro- 

 rhynchos. 



Vol. L -2 Q 



