UPUPIDAE 395 



The head and nape are chestnut and black in the respective 

 sexes, the hen having the casqiie yellower. Penelopides manillae 

 of the Philippines has the moderate, compressed casque transparent 

 brown, and the naked areas white, becoming purplish in the female. 

 Anthracoceros coronatus of India and Ceylon has a large yellow 

 subcrescentic casque blotched with black, a bare white throat and 

 blackish orbits, the latter being white in the hen. Bichoceros 

 hicornis (Fig. 82) of India and the Malay countries has a large 

 yellowish-red casque, hollowed and ending in two points ante- 

 riorly, which shews black markings in the male; the naked orbits 

 are pinkish. Buceros rhinoceros of the Malay Peninsula and Indo- 

 Malay Islands has a large red, orange, and black casque, curved 

 up in front, and red orbits ; the female having less black on the 

 former. Bucorvus (Biicorax) has a large black casque, nearly or 

 quite closed in B. cafer of South and East Africa, but open 

 anteriorly and ridged in B. cibyssinicus of North-East and West 

 Africa. In the respective species the naked parts are red and 

 blue in the male, blue and purple in the female. Some writers 

 adopt a Sub-family Bucorvinae for this genus. 



The fossil Cryptornis of the Upper Eocene of France is 

 referred to the Hornbills. 



Fam. VI. Upupidae. — Sub-Fam. 1. Upupinae. — This consists 

 of a single genus with five similarly-coloured graceful species, which 

 have the beak long and slightly arched, the metatarsi short and 

 scutellated throughout, the toes rather long and the claws curved. 

 The third and fourth digits only are joined at the base. The 

 broad wing has ten primaries and an equal number of secondaries, 

 the short, square tail has ten rectrices, the nestlings possess a 

 little down. Otherwise the structure resembles that of Hornbills. 



Generally found solitary or in pairs. Hoopoes stalk proudly 

 along the ground, nodding their heads, expanding and contracting 

 their crests, and uttering the soft reiterated " hoop " or " hoo," 

 from which is derived their name. Besides probing the soil, 

 the bird taps the ground with its bill or foot, and some persons 

 think that worms are brought to the surface by the vibration ; 

 but it will also tap any perch, whether on branch, stump, or wall. 

 The food consists of flies taken on the wing, insects generally, 

 and worms ; individuals being frequently observed climbing rocks 

 or branches of trees in search of prey, and carefully examining 

 heaps of refuse. Before being swallowed the larger objects are 



