596 Descriptions of the Groups of Birds 



speckled with yellow-brown ; and the young differ only from 

 their parents in the comparative shortness of the beak and crest 

 A correspondent of Bechstein " succeeded in rearing two 

 young ones, taken from a nest which was placed at the sum- 

 mit of an oak tree. " ( ! ) * * These birds "would never 

 touch earth-worms, but were very fond of the larger Coleop- 

 tera : these they first killed, and then beat them with their 

 beak into a kind of oblong ball ; when this was done, they 

 threw it into the air, that they might catch and swallow it 

 lengthwise ; if it fell across the throat, they were obliged to 

 begin again." Dr. A. Smith informs me, that he has observ- 

 ed the hoopoes to roll their food in the dust, so as to render 

 it always very dry before swallowing it. ; and I have ascer- 

 tained that it is only when they have an opportunity of doing 

 so that they will eat earth-worms, which they will then feed 

 on readily. The stomach of a specimen examined by Mr. 

 Selby " was filled with the larvae of TipulcB and Phalcenae ; 

 no remains of perfect insects, nor any snards of beetles being 

 visible." To recur to M. BechstehVs friend, that observer 

 states, that — " Instead of bathing, they roll in the sand. I took 

 them one day into a neighbouring field, that they might catch 

 insects for themselves, and had then an opportunity of remark- 

 ing their innate fear of birds of prey, and their instinct under 

 it. -No sooner did they perceive a raven, or even a pigeon, 

 than they were on their bellies in an instant, their wings 

 stretched out by the side of the head, so that the large quill- 

 feathers touched; they were thus surrounded by a sort of 

 crown, formed by the feathers of the tail and wings, the head 

 leaning on the back, with the beak pointing upwards ; in this 

 curious posture they might be taken for an old rag. As soon 

 as the bird that frightened them was gone, they rose up im- 

 mediately, uttering cries of joy. They were very fond of lying 

 in the sun, and showed their content by repeating in a qui- 

 vering tone, vec, vec, vec ; when angry, their notes are harsh, 

 and the male, which is known by his colour being redder, cries 

 hoop, hoop. These amusing birds would follow their owner 

 everywhere, and on hearing him at a distance expressed their 

 joy by a peculiar chirping, rose into the air, and as soon as 

 he was seated climbed on his clothes, particularly when giv- 

 ing them their food from a pan of milk, the cream of which 

 they swallowed eagerly ; they climbed higher and higher, till 

 at last they perched on his shoulders, and sometimes on his 

 head, caressing him with much fondness : notwithstanding 

 which, a word was sufficient to rid him of their company, and 

 they would immediately retire to the stove. These birds 

 would observe the eyes of their owner, to discern what his 



