HOOPOE. 115 



This is probably the female, if not a young bird ; but I have 

 observed in some specimens, which I suspect to be males, that they 

 are not only spotted on the sides, but likewise on the breast and 

 belly, and in these the feathers of the forehead and crown are narrow, 

 pointed, and mixed with grey ; the tail feathers also are somewhat 

 longer than in the other, the colour of the whole plumage is like- 

 wise brighter; but M. Levaillant says, the female differs merely in 

 being smaller, and the tail shorter, insomuch that as the male changes 

 plumage twice in the year, and has the excess of tail feathers only in 

 the breeding season, at that time only the sex can be distinguished. 



It is abundant about the Cape of Good Hope, and in all the 

 Western Parts of the African Coast, in every place where the Protea 

 Trees are in flower ; called by the colonists, Pyl Staert (Arrow Tail), 

 having the appearance of an arrow in passing through the air; others 

 call it Suyker Voogel met lange Staert, and Koning der Suyker 

 Voogel.* It makes the nest on the Protea thickets, in an hemi- 

 spherical form, of moss and lichen, with a lining of wooI,&c. ; never 

 met with in the deep forests, but very common in the Country of 

 Hottniqua; not seen on the Western Coast beyond Mount Kamis. 

 They will easily become tame, and may be fed with the flowers of 

 the Protea, brought fresh daily, or otherwise the great nettle, or 

 orange flowers; and when these fail, with honey and water; and by 

 such means have been sustained on board a ship for a good while, 

 but not throughout the whole passage to Europe. 



Mr. Salt met with this at Mozambique. 



* Long-tailed Sugar Bird and King Sugar Bird. 



Q2 



