250 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



about the end of September ; but a lingerer or two of 

 this species may occasionally be met with during the 

 winter months. The Hoopoe particularly affects 

 groves of old hollow trees in the neighbourhood of 

 grass-lands, and seems fond of the vicinity of houses, 

 our experience being, as above stated, that this 

 species is very fearless of man, but easily frightened 

 by other birds ; at all events we have often approached 

 a Hoopoe to within a few yards without concealment 

 of any sort. These birds spend a good deal of their 

 time in strutting about on the ground, seeking for 

 ants and other insects, with a continual nodding 

 motion of the head, somewhat reminding one of the 

 actions of the Pigeon family ; the crest is generally 

 carried closed, but raised at once on the slightest 

 alarm, and almost always on alighting after a flight. 

 We have often seen these birds probing into moist 

 earth after the manner of the Snipe ; but they seem 

 generally to pick their food from the surface. They 

 seldom take long flights, except when migrating, but 

 flit from tree to tree or along roads and footpaths, of 

 which they seem to be particularly fond, with an 

 undulating and buoyant action. The love-note of 

 the Hoopoe consists of a note resembling the word 

 "hoop," repeated rapidly three or four times in 

 succession ; it has besides this a deep " churr " 

 when irritated, and the young birds hiss vehe- 

 mently on being disturbed in their nests, and 

 have a short sharp cry for food. I have once 

 or twice seen a Hoopoe cling to and climb a tree 

 for a short distance ; but I do not think that this 

 is by any means a common habit. With regard 

 to the nesting of this species I cannot do better 

 than here quote a note of mine on the subject, of 



