438 THE HOOPOE 



months, the winter quarters of this species lie in Middle Africa and 

 Southern India. The Egyptian and Nubian birds form a local race, 

 but the ordinary form winters, for the most part, in the vast region 

 which extends from Abyssinia and the Galla countries on the east 

 side, to Senegambia, Haussaland, and the Gabun district on the west 

 side. In South Africa it is replaced by another form with entirely 

 black primaries, while the Madagascar and Somaliland races have 

 also been separated. In the Canaries and North Africa some birds 

 appear to remain all the year round. In Asia the ordinary form 

 has a wide range across most of the temperate regions of that 

 continent, but is replaced by local races in Eastern Siberia and 

 Mongolia, India, Ceylon, South China, and Hainan. 



The colloquial name ' Gallo di Marzo,' or March-fowl, has been 

 commonly applied to this bird on account of its being one of the early 

 spring migrants to Southern Europe. During this month the greater 

 part of those birds which breed in Western Europe pass across the 

 Straits of Gibraltar, but a few begin to move northward even during 

 January and February. The average date of the first arrivals on the 

 Spanish side is, however, about the middle of February. Farther to 

 the eastward, in Tunisia, Mr. Whitaker notes the arrival of the first 

 comers towards the end of February or beginning of March, from 

 which date the passage continues unabated till the end of April, and 

 has ceased altogether by the middle of May. On migration, small 

 parties up to about a dozen may be seen together, although as a rule 

 the species is generally seen singly or in pairs. In Sardinia, Sicily, 

 and Malta it is a well-known visitor on spring passage, the main body 

 arriving in April, while in Greece Dr. Kriiper notes the first arrivals 

 on or about March 24th. During migration time individuals may 

 frequently be met with crossing the Mediterranean, flying rather low, 

 with the action peculiar to this species, which enables one to recognise 

 it at a great distance. Its flight has been compared to that of the 

 jay : it appears to be weak, and there seems to be a perceptible pause 

 between the wing flaps, while the broad wings, with their bold con- 



