182 CERTHIAD^E. 



Mr. Bartlett for the opportunity of observing a living spe- 

 cimen, a fine male, in his possession. This bird was quite 

 tame, and when unexcited, the high crest fell flat over the 

 top of the head, and covered the occiput ; it took a meal- 

 worm from the hand very readily, nibbled and pinched it 

 between the ends of the mandibles, then, putting it on the 

 ground, struck it several blows with the point of the beak ; 

 when the insect was apparently dead or disabled it was again 

 taken up, and by a particular motion of the head, which 

 was thrown backward, and the beak opened, the meal-worm 

 fell into the gape of the mouth and was swallowed. The 

 call for another was a sharp note ; but it also uttered at times 

 a sound closely resembling the word hoop, hoop, hoop,* 

 but breathed out so softly, but rapidly, as to remind the 

 hearer of the note of the Dove. This bird constantly rubbed 

 himself in the sand with which the bottom of his large 

 cage was supplied, dusting himself like the Larks, but took 

 great care to shake off any sand or gravel that adhered to 

 his food, which was raw meat, chopped, and boiled egg. 

 He hid superfluous food, and resorted to his hoard when 

 hungry. When allowed to come out of his cage, he took 

 short flights about the room ; but would not be considered 

 a bird of great power on the wing; yet the Bishop of 

 Norwich has recorded that " one approached a vessel in the 

 middle of the Atlantic, and kept company with it a good 

 way, but did not settle on board, which it probably would 

 have done had it been tired." 



At the moment of settling on the floor of the room, Mr. 

 Bartlett's bird bent the head downward till the point of 

 the beak touched the floor, after which, as well as occa- 



* The note probably suggested the name, which, according to Turner, 

 was an Howpe ; Germanice, ein Houp. The French name, La Huppe, is 

 particularly appropriate, from its double reference to the crest and the 

 note. 



