440 



'PICARIAN' BIRDS 



dusky brown. Hens arc somewhat inferior in size to the cocks, with a 

 duller tone of colouring, and a rather shorter crest ; while young birds 

 differ from their parents of the corresponding sex by their less elongated 

 beaks. Nestlings are devoid of covering till their feathers are developed. 

 The breeding-range of the hoopoe includes the Mediterranean 

 countries and Europe as far north as Denmark and the south of Sweden, 

 whence it extends eastward through Central Asia and the Himalaya 

 to China and Japan. In winter these birds visit Africa, Arabia, and 

 India as far south as the Deccan, where they meet the resident Indian 

 species (('. ifi(/ior). A certain number of individuals range considerably 

 farther north than the breeding-area, visiting Spit/.bergcn, northern 



Russia, Norwa\-, and 

 the Faroes ; and 

 among these north- 

 ern stragglers ma\- be 

 included the majority 

 of those visiting the 

 liritish Isles, although 

 there is e\idence of 

 hoopoes having 

 nested in Hampshire, 

 Sussex, and Dorset- 

 shire. Whether all 

 these instances are 

 fully authenticated 

 ma)- perhaps be 

 doubtful, but there 

 can be little hesita- 

 tion in admitting that if these beautiful birds were left undisturbed, 

 they would not unfrequently breed in the south of England. Hoopoes 

 arc far less uncommon in luigland than is commonly supposed, and 

 although generally met with on migration, are occasionally seen in winter. 

 To Scotland they are rarer visitors ; but it is noteworthy that a pair 

 was killed in Dumfriesshire in the winter of i 870-7 I, while a single 

 specimen was shot in Inverness-shire in November 1905. Hoopoes 

 have been seen so far north as the Orkneys, Shetlands, and Outer 

 Hebrides. To Ireland these birds are irregular spring and autumn 

 visitors, which make their apjjcarance most commonly on the coasts of 

 Wexford, Watcrford, and Cork. 



In their native countries hoopoes chiefly frcciuent open districts, 

 where they pass much of their time running on the ground in .search of 



THE ROWLAND WARD STUOiOS 



HOOI'OK. 



