F e m a l e .
wife. It is faid to be met with in the large forefts of Sweden *,
and in Auftritt f ; and has been found as far north as the Orknies
and Lapland, as well as in many of the intermediate places between
them ; alfo at the Cape of Good Hope on the one hand, and
quite to Ceylon J and Java on the other. In Europe it is accounted
a bird of paffage, and is faid not to winter even in
Greece l. In England it is far from common, being feen only
now and then, and at uncertain times. Kent, Surrey, Northumberland,
and Moftyn in Flintfhire, have been particularly noticed,
though it has been met with alfo in other counties. It is a foli-
tary bird, feldom two being feen together; though in Egypt it is
faid to aflemble in fmall troops. It is very common at Cairo,
where it builds in the ftreets, on the terraces of the houfes. In
feme countries it is accounted good eating, though they do not
think fo at the laft-named place; perhaps, from its not feeding fo
cleanly in the neighbourhood of cities, the flavour may not be fo
good. This may be called a terreftrial bird, as it feldom perches
on trees. It does not ere6t the creft, except being agitated by
furprize, or the like ; in a natural ftate the creft falling behind on
the neck §.
The female is like the male, and lays from two to feven eggs,
but for the moft part four or five. Thefe are fomewhat lefs than * §
* Fauna Suecica, p. 37* t Scopoli. t Edwarde.
]| The Hoopoe and Roller are faid to come into Conftantineple in Anguß, from the
north, to return in ipring. Faun. Arab, p. 7• ---- ‘ ! The Hopooe and Bee-eater
come in the fpring, and remain all the fummer and autumn.” Ruffel. Alep,
p. 70.
§ It is faid to fpread the creft beautifully whenever it alights on the ground.
Pococke.
e , thofe
thofe of a Partridge, but longer, and alh-Coloured *. This bird'
is faid to have two or three broods in a year, and to lay the eggs
in. the holes oftrees,.like the Wwdpecker, but in general to make no
neft: notwithftanding which, Buffon obferved, that two out of.
fix nefts, which were brought to him for infpeftion, had a foft
lining of mofs, wool, leaves,-feathers,.and the like; and he is of
opinion,, that when this is the cafe, the bird has made ufe of.
the old neft of feme other bird. It will alfo lay, and hatch the
young, in holes of walls, and even on the ground. The food of
this bird is infcfts ; and it is the exuviae of the large beetles, and
fuch like, with which the neft is crowded, that caufe the neft to
ftink fo horribly; infbmuch that1 former authors afierted the neft
to be made of excrement.
Olina fays, that the life o f this bird, is three years ; perhaps he
means in a confined ftate. Buffon mentions one of them, which
lived with a lady for. three months, fubfifting only on bread and
cheefe. This, bird, contrary, to the common opinion, drank frequently,
and that, by gulps. Another was, kept for eighteen
months on raw meat,.tend, would not eat any thing elfe.
Some authors mention a variety of this fpecies. Belon obferves.
this,,but does not give fufixcient indications of the circumftances
which occafion the variety. Kolben mentions one at the Cape o f
Good Hope which is fmaller : the bill lhorter in proportion:
and the legs longer: the creft too is not fo long, and has no trace
of white in it throughout; and in-general the plumage is lefs va-
V a r i e t i i S
I r
* Faun. Suecic. It is here remarked, that the note of the bird imitates the -
frame which it is known by. « ,
t Kolben Hiß. du Cap. i. p. 152. I have feen one of thefe from the Cap; .
but it fcarcely .differedj except in being fmaller.
4.,T negated.-
tip
m