HOOPOES AT THE NESTING SEASON 195 



morning of the 28th April, when I noticed a hoopoe 

 on the roof of my bungalow calling uk-uk-uk repeatedly, 

 notwithstanding the fact that it had a caterpillar in 

 its beak. Birds can sing with the mouth full ! 

 Presently a young hoopoe appeared on the roof. The 

 adult bird ran to the latter and thrust the caterpillar 

 into its mouth. This was acknowledged by a little 

 squeak of thankfulness. 



Most young birds flap their wings and make a great 

 commotion when they think it is time they received 

 a beakful of food. Baby hoopoes, however, do not 

 behave in this way at all. They toddle sedately in the 

 wake of the mother or father, but make no clamour for 

 food. They receive this in a most dignified manner, 

 merely uttering a little squeak of thanks. 



To return to the young hoopoe of whose exploits I 

 have been writing. I saw a parent come repeatedly 

 and feed him on the roof of the bungalow on that day 

 and on the 2Qth and the 3oth. This, of course, I was 

 prepared for. But I was not prepared for the next 

 event, which was the revisitation of the nest in the 

 verandah by the two parent birds on the ist May. 

 On the following days they continued to visit the nest 

 hole, but I had no leisure for watching them. On the 

 5th May I saw one hoopoe, presumably the cock, 

 literally drive the other into the nest hole. They both 

 flew into the verandah and alighted on a ledge that 

 runs round it a little way below the roof. There the 

 cock emitted some harsh cries, expanded his crest 

 and bowed as described above. Then he advanced 

 towards her. She disappeared into the nest hole. He 



