110 THE COMMON HOOPOE. 



curved ; the feet are short and black ; the iris blackish brown 

 The crest consists of a double row of feathers, of which the 

 longest is about two inches long, and all orange colour tipped 

 with black. The head, neck, breast, and under wing coverts 

 are reddish brown ; the belly white, marked on young birds with 

 narrow dark brown lines running upwards. The upper part 

 of the back, and the lesser wing coverts, are reddish grey; the 

 lower part of the back, the shoulders, and wings black, striped 

 with a yellowish white. The rump is white ; the tail, which 

 consists of ten feathers, black, but having across the middle a 

 broad white band, forming an obtuse angle presented upwards. 



Habitat. The Hoopoe is generally to be found in summer, 

 in woods which border on pastures and meadows. In August, 

 after the hay harvest, the Hoopoe departs in flocks to the 

 lower country. It is a bird of passage, leaving us in Sep- 

 tember, and returning at the end of April. It may always be 

 seen more upon the ground than on the trees. 



In the house it should not be kept in a cage, but allowed to 

 range at will. It is exceedingly chilly, or, at least, is so fond of 

 warmth as to sit almost constantly on the stove ; and will suffer 

 its beak to be dried up rather than leave the warm place. 



Food. In a state of nature the Hoopoe eats the various 

 kinds of insects which are to be found in dung. It is some- 

 times put in a granary to destroy beetles, spiders, &c., but the 

 idea that it also catches mice is unfounded. 



In captivity it is easily kept in condition upon meat, and 

 bread soaked in milk, with an occasional meal-worm or two. 



Breeding. The Hoopoe builds in hollow trees a nest com- 

 posed of cow-dung mixed with fine root-fibres, and lays three 

 or four eggs. The attempt to domesticate old birds rarely suc- 

 ceeds ; it is better to take the young from the nest, and feed 

 them on the flesh of young Pigeons. In six weeks they will 

 be able to feed themselves. It is difficult to feed them, as their 

 heart-shaped tongue is only as large as a half-bean, which occa- 

 sions a difficulty in swallowing. They throw all their food up 

 in the air, and catch it with open beak, as it falls. 



Mode of Taking. To take them, a spot in the meadows, 

 which they frequent in August, must be marked ; a piece of 

 wood eight inches long must be smeared with bird lime, and to 

 it several live meal-worms are to be attached by a short thread. 

 The whole apparatus is then to be set up on a mole-hill. When 



