594 Descriptions of the Groups of Birds 



They differ unexpectedly, however, from probably all other 

 Strepitores, in the curious particular of being as remarkable 

 for intelligence, as the latter are for obtuseness and deficien- 

 cy of intellect : indeed there are very few birds, throughout 

 the class, which will bear comparison with the hoopoes in 

 this respect. They are lively and energetic in their aspect 

 and manners, and run about with exactly the same gait as a 

 lark ; they likewise ascend steep surfaces, in the manner of a 

 woodpecker, which last-named group they resemble in ano- 

 ther particular, that of possessing the capability of striking 

 rapidly with the bill, — an action which I have several times 

 witnessed. Their bill is of peculiar form, — very long, slen- 

 der, a little incurved, unemarginate, and obtusely terminated; 

 interior of the mandibles flat, not even grooved ; the upper a 

 little exceeding the under one in length : gape wide, as in the 

 rest of the Syndactyli ; the tongue shaped as in the hornbills. 

 The feet are not syndactyle, any more than in the rollers ; 

 while they are typically so in several Cantores, as Eurylai- 

 mus, Calyptomena, Pipra : the outer and middle toes, how- 

 ever, are basally connected, as in all the Cantores ; being the 

 only instance of what I designate the cosnodactyle structure 

 occurring elsewhere than in that order. The foot of the hoo- 

 poe is indeed not very dissimilar from that of the lark ; but so 

 modified that the tarsal joint can be rested on when ascend- 

 ing a steep surface : it would appear, however, to be only mo- 

 derately adapted for clinging; as the middle claw has an 

 expanded inner edge, and all the front claws are but slightly 

 curved : but the strength and stoutness of that on the hinder 

 toe would seem to be calculated to render it an efficient prop 

 while the body can so lean forward as to preserve its balance. 

 I have seen a hoopoe creep, by successive springs, up the 

 wiry front of its cage with much facility. They pass their 

 time chiefly on the ground ; and Temminck remarks — " Elle 

 se pose plus rarement sur les arbres, ou cependant on le voit 

 suspendue aux branches, et se balancant pour saisir les in- 

 sectes qui s'attachent au dessous des feuilles, et ou le male 

 se pose ordinairement lorsqu' il fait entendre son chant lan- 

 gouroux : " on such occasions, he elevates and expands, from 

 time to time, his beautiful crest ; an action which is likewise 

 expressive of distrust, or rather of anger and defiance : in ge- 



feathers till the second autumn, as is the case with the hoopoes. Mr. Yar- 

 rell, on the authority of Mr. Hoy, indeed states this of the common British 

 wood-wren; but I have specimens, with their primaries scarcely grown, 

 which prove the contrary. 



