HOOPOES 25 



The nest is saddled on a lichen-covered bough, which 

 renders it extremely difficult of detection. The lining of 

 those found by us was composed entirely of ptylandsia. 



The eggs invariably number two, those of the Black 

 Cuckoo-Shrike being of a light greenish-blue, slightly 

 tinged with yellow, spotted with lavender and purple of 

 a dark shade ; while those of the Yellow-shouldered 

 species are light greenish-buff, spotted with blackish and 

 blotched with dark and light lavender. 



The Grey Cuckoo-Shrike (Graucalus ccesius) is of a 

 general dark bluish-grey colour, with a broad black 

 mark between the bill and the eye. It frequents the top 

 branches of high forest trees. 



The Cuckoo-Shrikes are very useful birds, feeding on 

 caterpillars, locusts and other insect pests, and should 

 be protected as much as possible, as they are not par- 

 ticularly plentiful. 



HOOPOES. 



The South African Hoopoe (Upupa a/ricana) is a well- 

 known bird in its brick-red plumage, black and white 

 wings and fan-like crest, which it raises and depresses 

 at will. 



It is fairly generally distributed throughout the sub- 

 continent, being a " partial migrant " appearing and 

 disappearing from a district at intervals. 



Its cry of poop poop is a familiar one in the mimosa 

 scrub, which is its favourite haunt. It affects orchards 

 and gardens as well, where it does yeoman service in 

 clearing off beetles, grasshoppers, grubs, &c. 



In the Eastern Cape Colony it breeds during October 

 and November, but later in the Transvaal. We have 



