UPUPA. BIRDS. 263 



at the base, tip depressed ; nostrils basal, naked, half shut 

 by an arched membrane ; the exterior toe joined at its base 

 to the middle one ; claw on the hind toe very long ; tail 

 rounded, with weak shafts. 



There is only one species of this genus, which climbs the vertical faces of rocks 

 as the common creeper does the surface of the trunks of trees. It nestles in the 

 clefts of rocks and feeds on insects. 



T. phcenicoptera, Tern. (Certhia muraria, Lin.) The Wall-Creep- 

 er. Top of the head deep ash-colour ; back and scapulars light- 

 er ; throat and fore part of the neck black ; wing-coverts and up- 

 per part of the exterior webs of the quills red j tail black, ter- 

 minated with white and ash-colour. 6| inches long. Inhabits 

 Southern Europe Sharv, viii. pi. 25. 



Gen. 14. UPUPA, Lin. 



Bill very long, slightly arched, slender, triangular, compressed ; 

 nostrils basal, lateral, ovoid, open, and surmounted with fea- 

 thers in front ; three toes before, the exterior united to the 

 middle one to the first joint ; one behind ; tail square, of ten 

 feathers. 



U. epops, Lin. The Hoopoe. Head with two rows of reddish fea- 

 thers terminated with black, forming an arched tuft ; body ferru- 

 ginous ; wings black, with five white bands ; tail black, with a 

 lunated white band. 11 inches long. Inhabits Europe Sdby, 

 lllust. pi. 40. fig. 2. 



This beautiful bird inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the last of which many 

 of them are stationary. Some of the migrating detachments visit Britain occasion- 

 ally in autumn, but they seldom breed in this country. In France they arrive late 

 in spring, and depart towards the close of summer, 



U. Madagascariensis, Shaw. Plumage above dusky brown, deep- 

 est on the wings and tail ; crest and under parts white. 10 in- 

 ches long. Inhabits Madagascar Shan, viii. 140. 



Gen. 15. EPIMACHUS, Cuv. 



Bill much longer than the head, slender ; more or less arcua- 

 ted, compressed ; mandibles pointed, the upper one slightly 

 notched at the point, and longer than the lower ; gape extend- 

 ing to under the eyes ; tongue short, cartilaginous ; nostrils 

 basal, lateral, open before, half shut by a feathered mem- 

 brane ; legs short ; tarsus longer than the middle toe ; the 

 external toe united to the first joint ; fourth and fifth wing- 

 feathers longest. 



E. wperbus, Tern. (Promerops, Shaw.) Plumage black, with a 

 violet and green gloss ; scapulars falciform, purplish black on 

 the inner web, brilliant golden green on the edges and tip ; on 

 each side below the wings loose-webbed, pendant brownish fea- 

 thers ; tail very long. 4 feet long. Inhabits New Guinea. 

 Shaw, viii. 145. 



