HOOPOE. 



too much difturbed, forfook it, and went elfewhere *. The lad 

 year, 1786, a young bird was fent to me, the loth of May, full 

 fledged, fhot near Southfleet, m Kent % ; but the old birds had not 

 been obferved. 



In Sepp's plate of the neft of this bird, I find it placed in the 

 hollow of a tree, compofed of foft bents, and fmooth within. The 

 eggs four in number, of a blueifh white, marked with pale brown 

 fpots. 



I find this bird, though very common in the deferts ofRuJia and 

 Tartary, to be much more fcarce beyond the river Ob ; however, 

 fome are found beyond the Lake Baikal. Dr. Pallas confirms the 

 account of the filthy manners of this fpecies, as he met with an 

 inftance of a pair breeding in the privy of an uninhabited houfe in 

 the fuburbs of Tzaritzin J. 



I am informed by Colonel Davies, that they every year are feen 

 in Gibraltar in March, in fmall flocks often or twelve : hence are 

 ca\led there March Cocks, They -are fuppofed to come from 

 Africa, and to be on their paflTage north to fome other place, as 

 they only {lay a few hours to refb themfelves ; and it is not un- 

 common to fee five or fix flocks in a week, during the time of 

 their paflTage. He did not obferve them to have any note ; but 

 that they had a dipping kind of flight, not unlike a Woodpecker. 

 I have obferved this bird to be among paintings both from China 

 and India; it is therefore, no doubt, common to both thofe 

 parts. 



• Mr. THnfiall. t By Mr. Geddm, of that place. J Ar£l. ZmU 



R2 SIZE 



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