HOOPOE. 169 



fine male, now in his possession. This bird is quite tame, 

 and when unexcited, the high crest falls flat over the top of 

 the head, and covers the occiput ; it takes a meal-worm from 

 the hand very readily, nibbles and pinches it between the 

 ends of the mandibles, then putting it on the ground, strikes 

 it several blows with the point of the beak ; when the insect 

 is apparently dead or disabled it is again taken up, and by a 

 particular motion of the head, which is thrown backward, and 

 the beak opened, the meal-worm drops into the gape of the 

 mouth and is swallowed. The call for another is a sharp 

 note ; but it also utters at times a sound closely resembling 

 the word, hoop, hoop, hoop,* but breathed out so softly, but 

 rapidly, as to remind the hearer of the note of the Dove. 

 This bird constantly rubs himself in the sand with which the 

 bottom of his large cage is supplied, dusting himself like the 

 Larks, but takes great care to shake off any sand or gravel 

 that may adhere to his food, which is raw meat chopped, and 

 boiled egg. He hides superfluous food, and resorts to his 

 hoard when hungry. When allowed to come out of his cage, 

 he takes short flights about the room ; but would not be con- 

 sidered a bird of great power on the wing ; yet the Bishop of 

 Norwich has recorded that " one approached a vessel in the 

 middle of the Atlantic, and kept company with it a good 

 way, but did not settle on board, which it probably would 

 have done had it been tired." 



At the moment of settling on the floor of the room, Mr. 

 Bartlett''s bird bends the head downward till the point of the 

 beak touches the floor, after which, as well as occasionally at 

 other times, the long feathers forming the crest are alternately 

 elevated and depressed in a slow and graceful manner, the bird 

 assuming an appearance of great vivacity, running on the 



* The note probably suggested the name, which, according to Turner, was 

 an Howpe ; Germanice, ein Houp. The French name. La Huppe, is particu- 

 larly appropriate, from its double reference to the crest and the note. 



