UPUPA AFRICANA. 135 
always feeding on the ground, into which they thrust their long bills 
in search of their insect food. Mr. L. Layard found several pairs at 
Grootevaders Bosch, breeding in the old Kraal walls: they made no 
nest, but just laid their eggs on the mud that had been used 
in cementing the stones in the rough wall: the eggs were very pale 
greenish blue, unequally smeared throughout with indistinct mark- 
ings of pale brown. It is certainly the “ill bird of the proverb” 
that fouls its own nest, for the filth is described to us as intolerable. 
It is very common in the Karroo towards Beaufort and Nel’s 
Poort, frequenting the thickets of mimosa trees which border all 
the rivers of that district. Its monotonous cry of ‘ hoop-poop ” 
resounds the entire day. It is shy and difficult of approach, search- 
ing for its insect prey about the rugged limbs of trees or crevices of 
rocks. Mr. Atmore writes :—‘‘ They are migratory ; we did not see 
them at Meiring’s Poort from February till June: they then came 
in, but were in bad plumage.” Mr. Rickard notices it from the 
neighbourhood of East London and Port Elizabeth ; and Mr. T. C. 
Atmore has sent several specimens from Hland’s Post. Mr. Ayres 
observes :—“ These birds are very scarce in Natal: when found they 
are generally solitary, and only very occasionally a pair are found 
together. I know little or nothing of their habits from personal 
observation : they often feed on the ground, and are very shy gene- 
rally.” During his journey to the Matabili country, Mr. T. EH. 
Buckley says it was common in the bush country north of Pre- 
toria, but he does not remember seeing it further than Bamangwato. 
He observes :—‘‘It is rather a shy bird, the note and the habits 
being the same as tlrose of U. epops.” In the Zambesi, writes Dr. 
Kirk, it is “‘ everywhere rather rare, but widely distributed ; found 
in the interior of the continent and near the coast. It is not injured 
by the natives, by some of whom it is named the ‘ Little Doctor,’ 
in connexion with some superstition.” 
The following account of the species is given by Mr. Andersson 
in his well-known work:—“This species is very abundant in Damara 
Land during the wet season, but gradually disappears with the 
return of the hot weather, though a few individuals remain through- 
out the year; it is also common at Lake N’gami. When it first 
arrives in Damara Land it is seen in straggling flocks, which soon, 
more or less, disperse ; yet a number of individuals are often found 
in close proximity, leading a person unacquainted with the habits of 
