UPUPID.E. 



85 



SUB-FAMILY I. 



Upupin.e. 



TJoe Hoopoes proper 



Gex. Chaeac. — Bill long, curved or straight from the base; the culmeii 

 keeled, and the sides generally compressed suddenly at the base towards the 

 tip, which is entire and acute ; the nostrils basal, small, and mostly covered 

 by a membranous scale ; the wings long and rounded ; the tail more or less 

 long, graduated, and even ; the tarsi generally short and strong ; the toes 

 long, the outer toe united at its base, the hind toe long and strong ; the 

 claws long, strong, curved, and acute. 





f ^ 



Fig. 32.— the hoopoe 

 {Upupa epops.) 



\.- 



The representative of this sub -family, — 



The Common Hoopoe (U^mpa cpoiys), breeds in most 

 parts of Europe, and is sometimes a visitor in the British 

 Ishmds. These birds are generally met with in woods in 

 the vicinity of marshes, where they seek their food. They 

 walk and run upon the ground, when thus engaged, with 

 great facility. In the neighbourhood of Bordeaux, 

 Hoopoes are met with in great numbers upon an extensive 

 range of marshy ground occupied by pollard willows grown 



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