THE BIRDS OF AFRICA. 249 



paratively small, but it increases in size every year, and 

 in old birds assumes preposterous proportions ; it is, 

 however, light and porous in structure, and does not seem 

 to inconvenience its owner in the least ; when flying it 

 strikes the mandibles together, and so makes a con- 

 siderable noise, 



THE HOOPOE. 



Family — Upupidce. 

 Genus — Uptipa. U. cpops. 



Hoopoe. — Notwithstanding the fact that an occasional 

 straggler finds its way to our shores, to be there incon- 

 tinently shot, this bird cannot be rightly considered a British 

 species. Its home is in Egypt, where it is sufficiently 

 common, though it extends into Syria, Asia Minor, and 

 even into Greece. 



It is a graceful, if not a prett}^ bird, but the popular 

 yjictures of it convey a false impression of its appearance, 

 for it does not habitually wear its crest displayed fan-wise, 

 but rather furled like an umbrella out of use, and it is only 

 when alarmed or excited that it expands the characteristic 

 ornament. 



Male and female are almost alike, and may be kept for a 

 time in confinement, but with every care it is difficult to 

 tide them over one of our winters. 



Natural diet — insects of all kinds. 



THE CUCKOOS. 



Family — Cnciilidtv. 



Genus — Ccntropus. C. saiegalcnsis. 



Senegal Coucal. — So little is known of this bird and 

 its habits that it may be dismissed with the simple in- 

 timation that it is found in most parts of Africa. 



