410 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



the enumeration of which would involve lengthy explanations, entirely out of place 

 here. 



Thus defined the hoopoes form a very small group, since several forms which, on 

 the strength of some external resemblance were placed in their immediate neighbor- 

 hood, as for instance, Epimachus and Falculia, had to be left with the Passeres where 

 they truly belong. Formerly the hoopoe-like birds must have been more numerous, 



FIG. 202. Upupa epops, hoopoe. 



for A. Milne-Edwards has discovered in the tertiary deposits of France remains of 

 several forms, some of which have been referred to Upupa proper, while others, as 

 Limnatornis paludicola and Laurillardia longirostris, are considered as not distantly 

 related. 



The present super-family, which is peculiar to the Old World, may be divided in 

 two groups, to be given family rank. In order to be brief we only indicate that the 



