]14 
THE BIRDS OF HAMPSHIRE. 
Our first record is from the " Pinax rerum naturalium 
Britannicarum " of Merrett, published in 1667, which men- 
tions its occurrence in the New Forest, " sed raro invenitur" 
The well-known paragraph in White's Letter xi. to 
Pennant is dated just a hundred years later (September 
9th, 1767) ; " The most unusual birds I ever observed in 
these parts were a pair of hoopoes {Up7ipa) which came, 
several years ago, in the summer, and frequented an 
ornamental piece of ground, which joins to my garden, 
for some weeks. They used to march about in a stately- 
manner, feeding in the walks, many times in the day, and 
seemed disposed to breed in my outlet, but were frighted 
and persecuted by idle boys, who would never let them 
be at rest." 
The pair mentioned by Montagu and Latham as having 
begun a nest in Hampshire are supposed to be the same 
historic couple. 
Hadfield wrote to the "Zoologist" in 1879 that a 
hoopoe was shot by his father (the first recorded instance 
of its occurrence in the island), sixty-five years previously, 
at Bonchurch, and might then be seen at the British 
Museum. 
Bury I records "April 12th, 1839, one shot at West- 
brooke, near Ryde. Three have been obtained by 
Mr. Butler, of Yarmouth. One is preserved at Thorley 
Farm, killed two or three years back by the tenant, Mr. 
Gibbs. August ist, 1843, ^^"^ shot at in Bordwood Forest, 
which remained in the neighbourhood for several days. 
April 15th, 1844, one seen by myself at Bonchurch and 
shot the next day." 
In the appendix to the " Letters of Rusticus " one is 
} " Zoologist. "' 1845. 
