NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 37 



This elephant was found to be very sick and sorry ; my friend, 

 .Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoological Gardens, London, was sent for 

 to prescribe. The animal was walked out for him to examine. 

 Mr. Bartlett desired the keeper to make the elephant show 

 her feet ; when the animal lifted up her feet, they were found 

 to be gnawed into holes by rats. The rats were very abundant 

 in the elephant house, and when she had lain down to sleep 

 they had eaten the gristly portion of her feet away. The rats 

 were destroyed and the elephant put into a new house, where 

 she is now well and thriving. The poor elephant had been 

 Buffering not only from the wounds in her feet, but also from 

 want of sleep, as the rats kept her awake all night by their 

 persecutions. 



Hooi'oK, p. 35. The name "Hoopoe" is from French huppe, 

 tufted. In Italy it is called bubela, from its cry "bu bu bu." It 

 is not an uncommon bird in Spain, and is abundant in Egypt and 

 Arabia. Whereas Stanley, on Birds, tells us the hoopoe is called 

 the child of Solomon, from the tradition that the hoopoe formed 

 part of the cargo of the ships of Tarshish. The tradition of the 

 people whence the hoopoe was brought was that its crest was at 

 lirst of gold, but that, owing to man's cupidity for the precious 

 metal, the birds were killed for their crowns ; they therefore met 

 and petitioned Solomon to ameliorate their condition, and as he 

 understood the language of animals, he put up his prayers that 

 the crown of gold might henceforth be changed to a crown of 

 feathers. The change was instantly made to the present lovely 

 crest with which the hoopoe is now adorned. What a beautiful 

 subject for the poet ! 



Mr. Davy informs me that lately two of these birds were shot 

 on the bank of the Midland Ilailway, in the neighbourhood of 

 Harnpstead, in Gospel Oak field ; if not so cruelly shot at they 

 would stop and breed. They are very tame birds, and being 

 very showy are easily detected. They feed on small food on the 

 ground, on caterpillars, worms, and small beetles. Mr. Davy 

 had one in his shop for two years it had been crippled. It 

 was ai very ravenous bird, would eat any animal or vegetable 

 matter preferring animal never feeds on trees. I find it runs 

 and feeds much after the manner of the starling. The hoopoes 

 would probably stay out the summer with us if they were not so 

 persecuted. When tame it is a very funny bird, and when it 

 puts up its crest a very beautiful bird. 



CROSSBILLS, p. 35. Crossbills are rare in Britain. Their song 



