260 BIEDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



including it in this list, except that, from its pecu- 

 liarity of appearance, it is less liable to be mistaken 

 than any other bird. I have therefore included it 

 on evidence that, in the case of any other bird, 

 I should consider perfectly unreliable, for I only 

 heard of one of these birds being seen at Monkton, 

 near Taunton, during the months of April and May, 

 in the year 1866 : it was seen several times running 

 about on a dung-hill near a farm-house, and was 

 described as constantly erecting its crest : besides 

 this peculiarity, I received such an accurate descrip- 

 tion of the bird that I feel quite sure it could be 

 nothing but the Hoopoe. In other neighbouring 

 counties it is by no means a very rare visitor, 

 as in Cornwall, Devon and Dorsetshire, there are 

 many records of its occurrence : it has also been 

 taken in Wiltshire, and has indeed made its appear- 

 ance in almost every county in England and Wales, 

 and in a few Scotch counties. Although its appear- 

 ances in England are usually confined to the spring 

 and autumn it would probably remain to breed* were 

 it not that the peculiarit} r of its appearance excites 

 curiosity, and the gun is consequently always brought 

 into immediate requisition. Instead of being shot 

 on every possible occasion the visits of the Hoopoe 

 to this country should be encouraged, as its food 



* Yarrell records one instance of its doing so near 

 Chichester. 



