THE HOOPOE. 201 



Peculiar habits Description. 



kept in a cage, notwithstanding it would perch 

 now and then, yet at night it generally crept, if 

 possible, into some hole or corner to sleep ; and 

 it is remarkable, that when perched, or Otherwise 

 at rest, it had mostly the head downwards ; or at 

 least even with the body, and not elevated like 

 other birds. The young ones are accounted very 

 good eating. 



This bird is likewise called the nut-jobber, 

 wood-cracker, &c. all which names it has derived 

 from its partiality for hazel-nuts. 



THE HOOPOE. 



THE length of this bird is twelve inches, and 

 the breadth nineteen. The bill is above two 

 inches long, black, slender, and somewhat curv- 

 ed ; the eyes hazel ; the tongue very short and 

 triangular; the head is ornamented with a crest, 

 consisting of a double row of feathers, of a pale 

 orange-colour, tipped with black, the highest 

 about two inches in length ; the neck is of a pale 

 reddish brown ; the breast and belly white, which 

 in the young ones, are marked with various dusky 

 lines, pointing downwards; the back, scapular, 

 and wings, are crossed with broad bars of black 

 and white ; the lesser coverts of the wings, light 

 brown; the rump is white; the tail consists of 

 ten, feathers, each marked with white, which, 

 when closed, assumes the form of a crescent, the 



VOL. 111. NO. XX, 2 C 



