582 



SLENDER-BILLED BIRDS. 



pares for its progeny in some hollow tree, or even in a 

 rail of the neighbouring fence. If the orifice to the nest, 

 in the dead tree, be too large, the female of the European 

 species contracts the entrance with plastic earth and 

 mud, like a potter, and this barricade is speedily rebuilt if 

 broken down. The eggs, about 5, are of a dull white, 

 spotted with brown at the greater end. The male is now 

 assiduously attentive to his sitting mate, supplying her 

 regularly with food ; on which occasion he affectionately 

 calls her from the mouth of her dark and voluntary pris- 

 on, where sometimes, in mere sociability, he attempts in 

 his rude way to soothe her with his complaisant chatter. 

 He is too affectionate to ramble from this favorite spot, 

 where he not only accompanies his consort, but, sentinel- 

 like, watches and informs her of every threatening dan- 

 ger. When the pair are feeding on the trunk of the same 

 tree, or near to each other in the same wood, the faithful 

 male is heard perpetually calling upon his companion at 

 short intervals, as he circumambulates the trunk. His ap- 

 proach is announced usually at a distance by his nasal 

 quank quank, frequently repeated, as in spiral circles 

 round the trunk of some tree, he probes, searches, and 

 shells off the bark in quest of his lurking prey of spiders, 

 ants, insects, and their larva3 in general. So tight and 

 secure is his hold, that he is known to roost indifferently 

 with his head up or down from the tree ; and when 

 wounded, while any spark of life remains, his convulsive 

 and instinctive grasp is still firmly and obstinately main- 

 tained. Sometimes with a sort of complaisant curiosity, 

 one of the birds, when there is a pair, will silently de- 

 scend nearly to the foot of the tree, where the spectator 

 happens to stand, stopping, head downwards, and stretch- 

 ing out his neck, as it were to reconnoitre your appear- 

 ance and motives ; and after an interval of silence, wheel- 



