410 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



the enumeration of which would involve lengthy explanations, entirely out of place 

 here. 



Thus defined the hoopoes form a very small group, since several forms which, on 

 the strength of some external resemblance were placed in their immediate neighbor- 

 hood, as for instance, Epimacluis and Falculia, had to be left with the Passeres where 

 they truly belong. Formerly the hoopoe-like birds niu.st huvo been more numerous. 



^'¥f:.-P '' 



Fio. 202. — Upupa epopt, hoopoe. 



for A. Milne-Edwards has discovcrcil in tin- tertiary deposits of France remains of 

 several forms, some of which have been referred to Upupa pro])cr, while others, ns 

 Ximnatoriiis paludicola and Laurillardia longirostris, are considered as not distantly 

 related. 



The ]ircsont su|ier-faniily, whicli is jieculiar to the Old AVorld, may bo divided in 

 two groups, to be given family rank. In order to be brief we only indicate that the 



