HOOPOE. 101 



another seen near the same place June 24 following : these, no doubt, 

 had bred thereabouts. The place where they were met with was 

 remarkably barren. In September of the same year, two were shot 

 at Holderness, and many seen in various other parts of Yorkshire, 

 and as far north as Scotland ; three others, killed in September, 

 at Cam in Gloucestershire, in Epping' Forest, and in Surrey ; about 

 twenty-five years since a pair had begun to make a nest in Hamp- 

 shire, but being too much disturbed, forsook it, and went elsewhere.* 

 In 1785, October 21, one shot at Cavendish, f In the year 1786, I 

 received a young bird full fledged, shot near Southfleet, in Kent, 

 but the old birds had not been observed ; and in the year 1808, one 

 was shot near Winchester, and another also near that place, in the 

 year 1805 ; likewise two were killed near Chichester, in the month of 

 April, of the present year, and which probably had they not been 

 prevented, would have bred there. Several more instances might 

 be adduced, but the above will suffice to prove, their not being 

 uncommon in England. 



On the Continent it is met with in various parts as far as Sweden, 

 and in different parts of Germany ; common in the South Deserts of 

 Russia and Tartary, grows scarcer beyond the River Ob ; yet 

 some are seen beyond Lake Baikal. That the bird has no objection 

 to filthiness is proved by Dr. Pallas, who found the nest of one in 

 the privy of an uninhabited house at Tzaritsyn, assigned to him for 

 quarters. I am informed, that every year small flocks of ten or 

 twelve are seen at Gibraltar in March, hence called March-Cocks, 

 but are rarely known to build there, perhaps from being too much 

 disturbed. These are supposed to come from Africa, and on their 

 passage to some other place, as they sometimes stay only a few 

 hours to rest themselves. They have a dipping kind of flight like 

 that of a Woodpecker, X and certainly do not fly strong, nor endure 



* Mr. Tunstall. f Gent. Mag. 1786. p. 42. J The flight, as well 



ag its note, or screech, compared to those of the Jay, as well as its general habits. Lin. 

 Trans, xiv. p. 14. 



