NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



the male. Its head is slatv-grev, and its under parts are dull 

 grey tinged on the chest and sides with brown. 



Distrihutton. — All the wooded parts of South Africa from 

 the Cape Province to the Zambesi, and north as far as the 

 Congo. 



Habits. — These graceful little birds frequent the shady- 

 woodlands. They associate in pairs, and make short darting 

 flights at intervals to capture insects on the wing, usually return- 

 ing to the same spot. When not interfered with they become 

 quite tame, and live in the trees and shrubbery around houses 

 and in orchards and plantations, rendering the owner sterling 

 service. The nest is small, neat, and cup shaped. It is built 

 on a stout twig or in a fork, and woven on with cobwebs and 

 lichen. The nest itself is mostly composed of this material. 

 Eggs, 3 in number ; light cream coloured, and covered chiefly 

 at the larger end with small light brown spots and a few dull 

 purple blotches ; size, 0.78 by 0.60. 



South African Hoopoe iUpiipa africand\. (Vol. II., 



p. 36.) 



Description. — Upper and lower parts brick-red. Head with 

 a crest like a comb, tipped with black. White patches on the 

 wings. Beak long and slightly curved. Iris dark brown. 

 Bill dark horn. I^egs greyish. 



Length, 10.5 ; tail, 3.75 ; wing, 5.20. 

 The plumage of the female is duller than that of the male, 

 the brick-red shading into drab. 



Distribution. — The whole of South Africa, from the Cape 

 to the Zambesi. 



Habits. — The hoopoe may be met with in pairs and in small 

 family parties almost anywhere in the neighbourhood of trees. 

 They particularly favour the wooded banks of streams. When 

 not persecuted they become quite tame, and wander about in 

 search of insects around human dwellings. These birds are 

 of great economic value. They migrate more or less from one 

 part of the country to another in search of food. Half-starved 



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