353 



THE HOOPOE. 



JJpwpa Bpops, Linn. 



Has occasionally appeared in all quarters of the island. 



Considering the western position of Ireland, this is more than 

 we should expect from what is said of its occurrence in Scotland. 

 We are told that it has been met with in several districts there 

 "even as far north as Caithness and Orkney, although not on the 

 western coast beyond the Frith of Clyde." * North and South 

 Wales, and about one half of the English counties are named by 

 Mr. Yarrell as having been visited by the hoopoe, and its occur- 

 rence is mentioned as most frequent in those of the east and south. 

 The southern counties of Ireland, — 'Wexford, Waterford, and 

 Cork, — are, as might be anticipated, the most frequently visited 

 by this remarkable and beautiful species ; but, it has occasionally 

 wandered to the most western, as Kerry, Limerick, Clare, and 

 Galway. In no instance has the hoopoe been known to breed in 

 this island, as it has done on two or three occasions in England. 

 Full details respecting the times and places of its occurrence must 

 be given. 



Smith, in his History of Waterford, published in 1745, remarks 

 of this bird : — " I never heard of above one being seen in this 

 country ; this was shot upon the ruins of the old church of Strad- 

 bally, during the great frost of 1739, and was long in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Maurice Uniacke, of Woodhouse." The same author, 

 in his History of the county of Cork, observes, that " the hoopoe 

 is with us a very rare bird," but gives no particulars of its occur- 

 rence. In M'Skimmin's History of Carrickfergus, it is related, 

 that " one was shot on the shore near the the town, Sept. 21, 

 1809 ;" and Mr. Templeton records another, as obtained there in 

 1818. The following information respecting the hoopoe has 

 been obtained since my own attention was first directed to the 

 subjecv : — 



* Macgillivray, British Birds, vol. ill. p. 43 (A. 840). 

 VOL. I. 2 A 



