Children's own library . of the most elegant birds that visitEngland, is unfortunately a very rare guest, and seldom,if ever, breeds there. Its beautiful crest can be raisedor depressed at pleasure, but is seldom displayed unlessthe bird is excited from some cause. Its food consistsof insects, which it first batters and moulds into anoblong mass, and then swallows, with a peculiar jerkof the head. In France Hoopoes are very common, and may be seeKexamining old and rotten stumps for the insects thatinvariably congregate in such places. There they maybe seen in flocks, but they never seem to com
Children's own library . of the most elegant birds that visitEngland, is unfortunately a very rare guest, and seldom,if ever, breeds there. Its beautiful crest can be raisedor depressed at pleasure, but is seldom displayed unlessthe bird is excited from some cause. Its food consistsof insects, which it first batters and moulds into anoblong mass, and then swallows, with a peculiar jerkof the head. In France Hoopoes are very common, and may be seeKexamining old and rotten stumps for the insects thatinvariably congregate in such places. There they maybe seen in flocks, but they never seem to come over toEngland in greater numbers than one pair at a Bechstein gives a curious account of the attitudeassumed by the Hoopoe on perceiving a large bird inthe air. As soon as they perceived a raven, or evena pigeon, they were on their bellies in the twinklingof an eye, their wings stretched out by the side ofthe head, so that the large quill feathers touched thehead, leaning on the back with the bill pointing up-. Humming Bibd. WOOD S NATURAL HISTORY 129 ward. In this curious posture they might be takenfor an old rag! The Hoopoe lays from four to seven gray eggs in thehollow of a tree. Its length is one foot.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidchildrensown, bookyear1910
