66 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



We can tell you a little story about it. 



Two young birds were taken out of a hoopoe's nest, and brought up in 

 the house. They grew very fond of their owner, and used to follow him 

 about. When they heard him coming they used to utter a joyful kind of 

 chirp, and even fly up and settle on him. 



He often brought them a pan of milk, and would let them feast upon the 

 cream, which they seemed to like very much. And then they would perch on 

 his shoulder, and make a great fuss with him. But if he grew tired, he had 

 only to say a word, and they flew away. The room they were kept in had a 

 stove in it, and they used to run behind the stove. 



But what was very funny, they always looked at him, to see what sort of 

 humour he was in, before they ventured on their play. 



They were very fond of beetles, and had a curious way of eating them. 

 They first killed them, and then beat them with their beaks into a long-shaped 

 ball. This they tossed up into the air, and caught again with their beaks. 



One day their owner took them into a field that they might catch a few 

 insects for themselves. They enjoyed this kind of sport very much indeed, 

 but their pleasure was a little spoilt by their timidity. 



They seemed haunted by the dread lest some bird of prey should be 

 hovering near ; and if so much as a pigeon came in sight they were seized 

 with a panic. They squatted down to the ground in a very curious attitude ; 

 their wings were stretched out and their heads leaned back with the beak 

 pointing upwards. They looked more like pieces of old rag that had been 

 thrown on the ground than anything else. The moment the pigeon was 

 gone, up they jumped, and uttered cries of delight. 



In his native state the hoopoe is fond of hunting about for insects on 

 some piece of moist ground. 



He makes his nest in the hole of some decayed tree. It is made of dry 

 grass, lined with wool or feathers, and has a very unpleasant smell, from the 

 remains of insects that lie about in it. 



If the birds cannot find a hollow tree that will suit their purpose, they 

 choose a crevice in the rock or in some old building. The mother bird lays 

 four or five eggs, of a greyish white, spotted with grey or brown. 



