MASON AND LBFROY. 175 



This nest was again watched a week later. The birds seemed 

 more wary on this occasion and in consequence but few of the 

 insects fed could be seen ; however what were seen consisted of 

 the same kinds as before observed, and there is no reason to expect 

 the food would have been altered. 



The following visits were made during the morning to the 

 nest : 



6-7 A. M. 55 visits. 



7-8 A. M. (52 approximately). 47 were seen and I left the nest for a few minutes. 



8-9 A. M. 56. 



9-10A. M. 46. 



10-1 IA. M. 35. 



11-12A. M. 42. 



286 



It will therefore be seen 286 visits were made in six hours. 

 About two visits per hour were made when apparently 1:0 insects 

 were brought : therefore about 280 insects were fed to the young. 

 I could not see how many young there were for certain, but I think 

 there were four, perhaps five not more. For some days after the 

 young had flown, a party of seven hoopoes were continuously 

 together. It is therefore probable the nest contained 5 young. 

 Assuming there were 5, each bird ate 56 insects which is certainly a 

 big feed for the morning only, and the old birds were apparent!} 

 feeding or giving insects to the young most of the day. The re- 

 mains of S. monstrosus have been found below the entrance to a 

 nest. 



The young are not fed in March before 6 A.M. as a rule. 

 I, however, saw an insect brought to the nest at 4-10 A.M. on one 

 occasion. No other visit was made till 6. It was moonlight and 

 the insect could not be identified, probably a cutworm which could 

 be found easily if the bird could see, at that hour. The old birds 

 each keep to their own hunting ground and on one occasion when 

 the two happened to be hunting near each other, a quarrel arose 

 and one bird was driven elsewhere to hunt. As a rule they perch 

 near the nest first to look round for danger and almost al\vays 



