THE HOOPOE III 



The flight of this species is undulating, like that of 

 a Wagtail or a Woodpecker, and when in the air the 

 bird becomes even more conspicuous, as its parti- 

 coloured plumage is fully displayed. The Hoopoe 

 probably pairs for life, and appears to return to a 

 certain spot annually to breed. The nest is usually 

 made in a hole in a rock, or a wall or tree, but 

 is never excavated by the birds. It is merely a 

 small collection of dry grass, straws, or roots, more 

 or less mixed with offensive matter of some kind, 

 and causing a fearful stench, which becomes even 

 worse as the droppings of old and young accumu- 

 late. The eggs are from five to seven in number, 

 and vary from pale greenish blue to lavender grey 

 and buff, and are without markings. The shell is 

 coarse and full of minute hollows. The female 

 alone incubates them, and the male is said to feed 

 her assiduously during the task. But one brood 

 is reared in the year, and after the breeding season 

 the birds often gather into small flocks and family 

 parties for the winter. 



The adult Hoopoe has the head decorated with 

 a very handsome erectile crest formed of broad 

 feathers, huffish chestnut tipped with black, and 

 with a narrow subterminal bar of white ; the 

 remainder of the upper half of the bird is chestnut 



