226 TALKS ABOUT BIRDS 



pair have the luck to settle down in a place 

 where they are protected from the stupid 

 people who shoot at everything rare and 

 beautiful. The hoopoe is particularly a bird 

 of dry countries, and is very common in North 

 Africa and India; and Mohammedans, who 

 have a great respect for Solomon, who, they 

 think, was a great magician as well as a great 

 king, and knew the language of all birds and 

 beasts, believe that the hoopoe was a special 

 favourite of his. When it goes about prodding 

 in the ground for grubs with its long bill 

 they think that this is searching for hidden 

 treasure, or finding out where there is water 

 for a well ; and there is a pretty story of how 

 the hoopoe came to have its fan-like crest. 

 Once, it is said, Solomon was travelling and 

 suffered from the heat of the sun, and a flock 

 of hoopoes came and flew over his head and 

 shaded him with their wings. He was so 

 grateful that he promised them whatever 

 they should ask, and the silly birds asked 

 to have golden crowns on their heads. It is 

 not surprising that before long they were 

 sorry that they had chosen such a dangerous 

 ornament, for of course all the bird-catchers 



