UPUPINiE. 
small, with the opening covered by a membranous scale. Wings long and rounded, with the tour 
fifth quills equal and longest. Tail long, broad, and even. Tarsi shorter than the middle toe, s 
and covered with broad scales. Toes moderate ; the outer toe longer than the inner and united at 
base to the first joint, the hind toe long ; the claws moderate, compressed, curved, and that of the 
toe long and nearly straight. 
The species that compose this genus are found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are migratoiy, and 1 
and moist situations that border woods and forests; it is in such places that they search for insects am ^ 
They also seek for their food on the trunks of trees, and especially among the foliage for caterpillars, 
may sometimes be observed hanging from a branch while reaching one of them from a leaf. Even manure is C ^ ;ona]1 y 
by these birds for the insects that it contains. The nest is generally placed in holes of decayed trees and oC ° a ^ 
in crevices of walls and rocks. The materials employed consists of dry grass, and the nest is usually i Q 
feathers or other soft articles internally. The female deposits four or five eggs. 
1. U. Epops Linn. PI. enl. 52., Edwards’s Birds, pi. 345., Gould, 
B. of Eur. pi. 238., Levaill. Prom. t. 22. — Upupa vulgaris Pall. ; 
U. senegalensis Swains. ? 
2. U. minor Gmel. Vieill. Ois. dor. t. 2. — Upupa cristatella 
Vieill. Gal. des Ois. t. 184. ; U. africana Bechst . ; U. capensis Swains. 
3. U. monolophos Wagl. Syst. Av., Levaill. Prom. t. 9 ■ . jj. 
4. U. varia Bodd. PI. enl. 697- — Upupa capensis ^ 
madagascariensis Shaw, ; Coracia cristata Vieill. Levaill- 1 10 
Vieill. Ois. dor. t. 3 . ; Type of Fregilupus Less. (1831)- 
Irrisor Less.* 
Bill long, more or less curved throughout its length, the culrnen keeled, and the sides sU ^ 
compressed from the base towards the tip, which is entire and acute; the gonys lengthened and cU ^ (] 
the nostrils basal and small, with the opening oval and covered by a membranous scale. Wings loVo ^ 
rounded, with the fourth and fifth quills equal and longest. Tail more or less lengthened, bnU< ’ 
graduated. Tarsi much shorter than the middle toe, strong, and covered with broad scales. T° es j 
and strong ; the outer toe longer than the inner, and united at the base beyond the first joint , 
toe very long ; the claws long, strong, compressed, and much curved. 
i tall 
The species of this genus are found throughout the entire continent of Africa.. They frequent tae 
creeping among the branches while in search of their food, which consists almost entirely of insects an ^ th e ? 
they also feed on the fruits of the fig trees when ripe; and should they, while thus engaged, be distl ^ t io tl> e 
commence uttering a loud chattering noise. It is further stated that they congregate in small flocks, and >° 
holes of trees. 
1. I. erythrorhynchos (Lath.) Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp. pi. 110., 
Nat. Misc. pi. 533., Vieill. Ois. dor. t. 6., Levaill. Prom. t. 1,2, 3. 
— Upupa viridis Licht. ; Irrisor capensis Less. 
2. I. melanorhynchos (Licht.) Levaill. Prom. t. 4. Falcinellus 
senegalensis Vieill. 
3. I. caudacutus (Vieill.) Levaill. Prom. t. 8, 9- e t 17- Epima- 
chus obscurus Wagl. 
4. I. indicus (Lath.) Vieill. Ois. dor. t. 9., Levaill. Prom. t. 7- 
Promerops cteruleus Shaw, Nat. Misc. pi. 985. 
5. I. unicolor (Licht.) Isis, 1829- P- 656. 
12 . 
si^' 
6. I. lamprolophos (Wagl.) Levaill. Prom. t. 11> aC hus 
7. I. sibilator (Vieill.) Levaill. Prom. t. 10. — E pi m 
latrix Wagl. , . ft 
8. I. aterrimus (Steph.) — Promerops pusillus 
„i it- 
Up«P a 1 ;y, 
W. Afr. p. 120. 
9 . I. cyanomelas (Vieill.) Levaill. Prom. t. 5, 6 . 
purascens 
pi. 1.; R. Levaillantii Less. ; Type of 
li'ivvi/rom/o ^ v iviin y — - ~ - . 
Burch.: Rhinopomastes Smithii Jard. Z°° ’ g0 
Rhinopomast® 8 
:th, 
(1828.). 
10. I. minor Rupp. Syst. Uehers. Vog. t. 8. 
* M. Lesson established this division in 1831 ( Trait. e A’ Ornithologie, p. 239-). 
7 i 
It embraces Rhinopomastes of Dr. 
Smith (I8 g8) - 
