THE GKEATEK SPOTTED WOODPECKER.* 



According to the editor of Pennant's British Zoology, this species puts the point of the • 

 bill into a crack or the limb of a large tree, and makes a quick tremulous motion with 

 its head, thereby occasioning a sound as if the tree was splitting, ^^•hich alarms the 

 insects, and induces tlicm to quit their recesses. This action it repeats during the spring 

 in the same spot, every minute or two for half an hour, and the bird will then fly to 

 another tree, generally tixing itself near the top, for the same purpose. 



Tlie noise thus made, the writer says, may be distinctly heard for half a mile, and he 

 remarks that the bird will also keep its head in very quick motion, while moving about 

 the tree for food, jarring the bark, and shading it at the same time it is seeking for 

 insects. Ik'chstein says, that the food of this species consists of insects, beech-mast, 

 acorns, nuts, and the seed of pines and firs, and tluit, in order to crack nuts, it fixes them 

 in the clefts of the trees. 



The eggs, which are glossy white, syid from four to six in number, are deposited at the 

 bottom of the hole in a tree upon the decayed wood. On one occasion it was witli 

 difficulty the bird was made to quit her eggs ; for notwithstanding a chisel and mallet 

 were used to enlarge the hole, she did not attempt to fly out till tlic hand was iuti'uded, 

 when she quitted the tree at anotlier ojiening. This species more frequently nuikcs that 

 jarring jioi.so for which tlic woodpeckers arc distinguished than any of tlic others, 

 especially when disturbed from the nest. 



Mr. (iould says they are sometimes observed to alight upon rails, old posts, and 

 de(tayed jjollards, where, among the moss and other vegetable matters, they find a 

 plentifid harvest of spiders, ants, and other insects; .nor are they free from the charge of 

 (■(iiniiilll liiir irrvid havdr among cherries, ])luiiis, and \v:ill-lVuit in general. 



* PiciiK IMujov. 



