The HOOPOES (Upupa) may be regarded as the most aberrant of the Tenuirostral group. They are moderately large, and slenderly formed; their beak is long, slender, higher than it is broad, and in some species much curved; the small, oval, and open nostrils are situated immediately beneath the feathers that cover the brow; the strength of the foot varies considerably; the wings (in which the fourth and fifth quills are the longest) are much rounded; the tail, formed of ten feathers, is either short and straight at its extremity or long and graduated. The compact and variegated plumage differs considerably as to its coloration, and but little variety is observable between the two sexes.
THE HOOPOE.
The COMMON HOOPOE (Upupa epops) is recognisable by its elongate body; long, slender, slightly curved, and pointed beak (which is much compressed at its sides); and short powerful foot armed with blunt claws. The wing is decidedly rounded; the tail of moderate size, composed of broad feathers, and straight at its extremity. The soft, lax plumage, which is prolonged into a crest on the top of the head, is much variegated, and almost alike in the various species with which we are acquainted. Reddish brown of a more or less lively hue usually predominates in its coloration, while the wings and tail are striped with white. In the Common Hoopoe the upper portion of the body is of reddish brown, variegated with black and yellowish white on the middle of the back, and on the shoulder and wings. The crest is of a deep reddish yellow, tipped with black; the under side is bright reddish yellow, spotted with black on the sides of the belly; the black tail is striped with white about its centre. All the colours in the plumage of the female are duller than in that of her mate. The young are recognisable by the comparative smallness of their crest. The eye is deep brown, the beak greyish black, and the foot lead-grey. The length of this species is about ten and its breadth eighteen inches. The wing measures five, and the tail four inches.
The greater portion of Europe, Northern Africa, and Central Asia are inhabited by these birds, which are specially numerous in the more southern portions of those regions, and instances are recorded of stragglers having been seen as far north as the Loffoden Isles. In some of the central provinces of Europe they appear about the end of March, and leave again in pairs, or small parties, at the commencement of autumn. Such as inhabit North-eastern Africa do not migrate, but merely wander at certain seasons over the surface of the country. In Southern Europe these birds frequent the vineyards, but in North-eastern Africa they prefer the immediate vicinity of towns and villages, and render great benefits to the inhabitants by assisting the Vultures, whose proceedings we have already described, in their revolting but most valuable labours.
Anything like sociability is unknown to this bird; each lives for its mate or its family alone, and carries on a constant warfare with all its neighbours. Strange to say, however, if taken young from the nest they soon become extraordinarily tame, and learn to obey and follow those who feed them with all the fidelity and devotion of a favourite dog. Carrion, beetles, larvæ, caterpillars, ants, and many other kinds of insects are devoured by the Common Hoopoe in large numbers, its long beak enabling it to search for its victims in any hole or crevice into which they may have crept. Large beetles are killed by repeated blows, and by crushing them against the ground until the wings and feet have been broken off. The morsel is then tossed aloft and dextrously caught and swallowed. The young birds are at first unable to perform this rather difficult feat, and, therefore, require to be fed by those who may wish to rear them. It would appear that but little care or fastidiousness is exhibited in selecting a spot suitable for building their nests: trees, fissures in walls, houses, or holes in the ground are indiscriminately employed; and Pallas mentions having found a nest containing seven young in the thorax of a human skeleton. Dry grass, roots, and cow-dung are the materials employed in the construction of the nest. The brood consists of from four to seven small elongate eggs, with a dirty greenish white or yellowish grey shell, occasionally finely spotted with white. The female alone broods, and the young are hatched in a fortnight. Both parents assist in the task of feeding their charge, and tend them with much affection; this care, however, does not extend to clearing away such daily accumulations as are usually removed, and the consequence is that before the family are fully fledged the nest has become a mere mass of seething flies and maggots, giving forth a stench from which the birds themselves are only freed after having been exposed for many successive days to the pure winds of heaven.
The TREE HOOPOES (Irrisor) inhabit the forests of Africa, and are recognisable by their slender body, long beak, short foot and wing, and long tail. The slightly-curved beak has a ridge at its margin, and is compressed at its sides. The powerful tarsus is much shorter than the centre toe, which, like the rest, is armed with a strong hooked claw. The fourth and fifth quills of the rounded wing exceed the rest in length; and the broad tail is much graduated. Those species with which we are familiar inhabit the forests of Central and Southern Africa, and pass their lives exclusively upon trees.
THE RED-BEAKED TREE HOOPOE.
The RED-BEAKED TREE HOOPOE (Irrisor erythrorhyncus). The prevailing colour of this species is a beautiful metallic blue, shimmering with dark green and purple. The inner web of the first three quills is decorated by a single white spot, whilst the six next in order have two white spots. The three first tail-feathers are similarly adorned, and are also marked with white near the tip. The eye is brown, and the beak and foot bright red. The female is smaller, and her plumage less glossy. The young are deep green, nearly black, and almost lustreless. This species is from seventeen to eighteen inches long, and eighteen inches and a half broad. The wing measures six, and the tail nine inches.