THE STATUS OF THE HOOPOE.
159
appearances of the Hoopoe were distributed over the twelve
months of the year and to determine if changes therein were
noticeable over the chosen century. A second series of figures
was made, and the figures for the hundred years were arranged
under the twelve calendar months. To illustrate any changes
that might have occurred in the numbers appearing in the
seasons of the year, the figures for the whole period were sepa-
rated under the heads of spring, summer, autumn and winter,
and divided into four periods of twenty-five years each. Each
county was treated separately and on the same lines. With a
view to exploring latitudinal differences of monthly and seasonal
arrival in England and Wales, the appearances for this area were
subdivided into three groups and described as Southern Belt,
comprising all the country south of a line between the Wash
and Carnarvon ; Midland Belt, comprising the country north
from a line between the Wash and Carnarvon to a line from
the Humber to the Mersey ; and Northern Belt, comprising
the country north of a line from the Humber to the Mersey.
The results of a consideration of the various set of figures
which have been described, show that in England and Wales
the Hoopoe has occurred in every one of the hundred years,
whereas in Scotland it is an irregular straggler, as it is also in
Ireland, but in still smaller numbers. The district most affected
by the appearance of Hoopoes is the South coast of England,
this area claiming 42.7 per cent, of the total appearances for
England and Wales, against 28.0 per cent. for the Rest of the
counties, 23.2 per cent. for East Anglia, and 6.1 per cent, for
the North-east coast counties. A feature of the Scottish ap-
pearances is the relatively large number which has been recorded
from the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Nearly one third of
the total number of Scottish Hoopoes has been observed in
these northerly islands and the appearances per square mile is
0.048, almost the same figure as for the counties of the south
coast of England. Most of the Irish Hoopoes have been re-
corded from the south coast, this district claiming 61.8 per
cent. of the total appearances for the country. A feature of
the arrival of the Hoopoe in the British Isles is the large number
which has been observed in close proximity to the sea.
A comparison of the periods of arrival shows that for England
and Wales, April is ahead of any other month, with 40.2 per
cent. of the total appearances, which is more than double the
percentage of any other month, and then in the order of their
appearances come May, September and August. For Scotland
the leading four months are September, with 24.7 per cent.,
October, May and April. The Irish record shows that April