100 HOOPOE. 



with white, and when a little expanded, appearing as a crescent, 

 the horns downwards; legs short and black; the outer toe united at 

 the bottom to the middle one. 



The female resembles the male, but it is said that the crest is 

 smaller. The nest is made generally in the hollow of a tree; in some 

 instances the eggs have been laid on the bare rotten wood, at other 

 times a sort of nest is composed with a lining of moss, wool, leaves, 

 feathers, &c. but in this last case, the bird is supposed to have made 

 use of an old deserted nest of some other bird ; it is said also to lay 

 and hatch the young in holes of walls, or even on the ground. The 

 eggs are four or five in number, sometimes more, the colour bluish 

 white, marked with pale brown spots ; * the food chiefly consists of 

 worms, caterpillars, and various insects, especially beetles, the 

 exuviae of which, being left in the nest, cause it to stink so much, that 

 some of the older authors have asserted, it was made of excrement.! 

 Olina supposes the life of this bird to be three years, perhaps he 

 means in a confined state. Button mentions two instances,one where 

 it lived with a lady for three months, subsisting only on bread and 

 cheese; the other was kept for a year and a half on raw meat, and 

 would eat nothing else. This may be called a terrestrial bird, as it 

 seldom perches on trees. In a natural state the crest falls behind on 

 the neck, nor is it erected in the manner seen in most representations, 

 unless the bird is agitated by surprise or pleasure. 



I believe the Hoopoe to be met with, and even to breed in Eng- 

 land, oftener than is generally supposed, as I have had them several 

 times sent to me ; and can bring various instances in support of this 

 opinion ; not that it is constant in its migrations into this island, for 

 although in some years many are met with, in others few or none. 

 The year 1783 seems to have been more abundant in them than any 

 other, one of them being shot near Orford, in Suffolk, in May; 



* Cinereous, and two in number. Faun. Suec. 



f To stink like a Hoopoe occurs as a proverb in some parts of Germany. Bechstein. 



