upupiD^. 391 



The European Hoopoe. 



Descr. — Head, with the feathers of the crest, pale cinnamon- 

 rufous, tipped with black, and with a white space between the 

 black and the rufous on the median and posterior feathers ; 

 hind neck, sides of neck, interscapulars, and shoulder of the 

 wings, pale fawn, passing into brownish-ashy ; the middle of the 

 back banded white and black ; the upper tail-coverts white at the 

 base, ended with black ; wings black ; the coverts black, with two 

 large white bars ; the primary quills with a white spot or bar near 

 the tip, on the first on the inner web only, on the others upon both 

 webs ; the secondaries and tertiaries with three and finally four 

 white bands ; tail with a broad white oblique band, about the 

 middle ; beneath the chin whitish ; the throat and breast pale 

 rufous fawn, ashy on the sides of the breast; abdomen white, with 

 black streaks and dashes ; under tail-coverts white. 



Bill black, reddish at the base ; irides red-brown ; legs brown- 

 ish-black. 



Length 12 to 12| inches ; wing 5| ; tail 4 ; bill at front If to 

 1||; tarsus not |. 



The Hoopoe of Europe is found in the Himalayas, in Northern 

 India, in Lower Bengal, and in various parts of India as far as 

 the Neilgherries. It extends to Assam, and perhaps to Upper 

 Burmah. It is found over the south of Europe, North Africa, 

 and most of Asia. I procured it at Darjeeling. There it is a 

 winter visitant only. In Nepal and Bengal also it is only a 

 winter bird ; and Adams states that it migrates southwards from 

 Cashmere to the Punjab and India in winter. In captivity the 

 Hoopoe is said to be readily tamed, and to show great intelligence 

 and susceptibility of attachment. Mussalmans venerate the Hoopoe, 

 on account of their supposing it to have been a favorite bird of 

 Solomon, who is said to have employed one as a messenger. 

 It is stated that the oily matter secreted by the sebaceous gland 

 on the tail-bone, assumes, in the female at breeding time, and 

 on the young in the nest, an intolerable stench, whence an idea 

 prevalent in some countries, that this bird makes its nest of 

 cow-dung. 



