upriMv upuriD.i: 153 



Merops orientalis cleopatra Nicoll. 



(^ 9 (irccn, with a sli-ht bronzy Ijrown tinL;c on head and 

 neck ; quills same colour with green outer weljs and black tips ; 

 central tail feathers 70-90 ni.m. longer than rest ; Ijlack bar on 

 throat, liill black. Legs and feet greyish brown. Wing 90-95. 

 Bill 24-26(11.). 



Breeds. — Egypt. Occurs in winter south to White and Blue 

 Niles. 



The typical race '* M. o. ovientalis" is Indian. 



UPUPiE. 



Bill long, slender, .slightly curved ; 3r(l and 4th toes 

 imited to first joint; 10 tail feathers; nest in holes 

 in walls or trees; eggs greenish blue to greyish olive. 



UPUPID^. 



Nostrils open rounded. Tail shorter than wing. Crested : 

 no metallic gloss in plumage. 



Upupa. 



Characters as in " Upupida^." 



Upupa epops epops L. Hoopoe. Fr, Huppe ; Gcr. 

 Weidehoff; Ital. Bubbola ; Swed. Harfogcl. 



$ $ Vinous isabelline ; crest cinnamon black tipped ; back, 

 scapulars and secondaries black with broad white bars ; primaries 

 and tail with a broad white band. Bill blackish, greyish at 

 base below. Legs and feet greyish blue. Wing 139-154. 

 Tarsus 22-24. Lill 43-52, 



Jireeds.—':^. and C. Europe north to Holland, Belgium, France, 

 Germany, Poland, Russia to about 55" ; Caucasus, Canaries, 

 N.W. Africa ; also across W^ Asia to Himalayas ; occasionally 

 nests S. England ; rare Sweden and Norway. Migrates ; occurs 

 regularly in British Isles, chiefly spring. Winters in tropical 

 Africa and east to S. India. Formerly bred Denmark. Rare 

 visitor Iceland, Faroes, Azores ; once recorded Spitzbcrgen. 



