Some Notes 07 i Brc/1771's Hoopoe.



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death a few days after its arrival ; all the others were reared to

maturity, though one, a sickly bird, died when full-grown.

Several months later, one of the remaining six birds was found

dead in the pond in the aviary and, up to the time of writing

(April 24th, 1911), the remainder are in perfect condition.



I.OWEK FIGURE: Head of Upup.1 epops major.


(Natural size).


When they first arrived, all the young Hoopoes refused

food, and I had to cram each one separately. After a few hours,

however, they readily took their food, and as they grew older

they left the open biscuit tin in which I kept them and literally

mobbed me every time I entered my house.


The food used was a preparation obtained from France,

and contained biscuit, locusts, “dried flies’’ and ant cocoons

ground into a fine powder. This mixed into a thin cream with



