308 TJie Hoopoe in Westmoreland. [Sess. 



11.— THE HOOPOE IN WESTMORELAND. 



By Bailie WALCOT. 



{Read Dec. 26, 1889.) 



On September 16 of the present year I sent the following 

 letter to the ' Scotsman ' : — 



Sir, — Last Saturday morning, the 14tli inst., while enjoying a ramble 

 on the hills near the Shap Wells Hotel, Westmoreland, five or six of the 

 hotel visitors were fortunate enough to see a fine specimen of the hoopoe. 

 The size, back, crest, and markings on back and tail were distinctly seen 

 by us all, and their correspondence with the hoopoe characteristics is 

 beyond all doubt. When first seen it was picking up food along the 

 banks of the roadway, and apparently so unsuspicious of danger that we 

 were able to get within three or four yards of it. In a short time it rose, 

 and leisurely flew twenty or thirty yards on the moorland. This it did 

 several times, each time allowing ns to follow it and get another view. 

 Finally it took a stronger flight towards the beacon, as if disapproving our 

 attentions, and bidding us a decisive farewell. As this migratory bird is 

 only occasionally seen in this country, the above incident is, I think, 

 worthy of being recorded, and will be read with interest by those who 

 have a " passion " for bird-life. 



This letter gave rise to considerable correspondence, all of 

 which showed that the number of these attractive birds which 

 visit the British Isles is exceedingly small, and that to see 

 one of them alive is to become the object of congratulation 

 and envy. One of these correspondents was the Eev. Mr 

 Macpherson of Carlisle, a distinguished ornithologist, and 

 author of a book entitled ' The Birds of Cumberland.' In his 

 letter, dated October 12, he informed me that a farmer had 

 just brought him for identification a hoopoe, taken acciden- 

 tally in a rabbit-trap the previous Wednesday. He added 

 that in his book just referred to, only about half-a-dozen 

 Cumbrian hoopoes are included, and that he only knew of 

 one shot in Westmoreland, which is preserved at KendaL As 

 I was extremely anxious to know whether this bird caught 

 in the rabbit-trap might be the mate of the bird I saw on 

 Shap Fells, I immediately wrote inquiring where it was 

 caught. The reply received at once dispelled the idea, as it 



