HOOPOE. 
bers than one pair at a time. M. Beck- 
stein gives a curious account of the atti- 
tude assumed by the Hoopoe on i)erceiv- 
ing a large bird in the air. “ As soon as 
they perceived a raven or even a pigeon, 
they were on their bellies in the twinkling 
of an eye, their wings stretched out by the 
side of the head, so that the large quill 
feathers touched ; the head leanimr on the 
back with the bill pointing upwards. In 
this curious posture they might be taken 
for an old rag!” It lays from four to 
seven grey eggs in the hollow of a tree. 
Its length is one foot. 
