NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
This elephant was found to be very sick and sorry ; my friend, 
Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoological Gardens, London, was sent for 
to prescribe. The animal was walked out for him to examine. 
Mr. Bartlett desired the keeper to make the elephant show 
her feet ; when the animal lifted up her feet, they were found 
to be gnawed into holes by rats. The rats were very abundant 
in the elephant house, and when she had lain down to sleep 
they had eaten the gristly portion of her feet away. The rats 
were destroyed and the elephant put into a new house, where 
she is now well and thriving. The poor elephant had been 
suffering not only from the wounds in her feet, but also from 
want of sleep, as the rats kept her awake all night by their 
persecutions. 
Hoopoe, p. 35. — The name "Hoopoe" is from French Imppe, 
tufted. In Italy it is called bubela, from its cry "bu bu bu." It 
is not an uncommon bird in Spain, and is abundant in Egypt and 
Arabia. Whereas Stanley, on Birds, tells us the hoopoe is called 
the child of Solomon, from the tradition that the hoopoe formed 
part of the cargo of the ships of Tarshish. The tradition of the 
people whence the hoopoe was brought was that its crest was at 
first of gold, but that, owing to man's cupidity for the precious 
metal, the birds were killed for their crowns ; they therefore met 
and petitioned Solomon to ameliorate their condition, and as he 
understood the language of animals, he put up his prayers that 
the crown of gold might henceforth be changed to a crown of 
feathers. The change was instantly made to the present lovely 
crest with which the hoopoe is now adorned. What a beautiful 
subject for the poet ! 
Mr. Davy informs me that lately two of these birds were shot 
on the bank of the Midland Railway, in the neighbourhood of 
Hampstead, in Gospel Oak field ; if not so cruelly shot at they 
would stop and breed. They are very tame birds, and being 
very showy are easily detected. They feed on small food on the 
ground, on caterpillars, worms, and small beetles. Mr. Davy 
had one in his shop for two years — it had been crippled. It 
was a very ravenous bird, would eat any animal or vegetable 
matter — preferring animal — never feeds on trees. I find it runs 
and feeds much after the manner of the starhng. The hoopoes 
would probably stay out the summer with us if they were not so 
persecuted. When tame it is a very funny bird, and when it 
puts up its crest a very beautiful bird. 
Cro>ssbtlls, p. 35. — Crossbills are rare in Britain. Their song 
