130 THE GREEN WOODPECKER. 



but sad instance of this. An acquaintance of mine found a 

 liole in a tree, and on listening heard something move in- 

 side. He came to the conclusion that the hole contained 

 bats, and forthwith proceeded to " smoke them out." As the 

 fumes produced no effect, he tried pouring water down the 

 hole. This likewise was ineffectual. Being determined, 

 however, not to be beaten by a few bats, he broke open 

 the tree, and to his surprise and sorrow found the dead and 

 dishevelled body of a green woodpecker. 



Before concluding the remarks I have to make on the 

 green woodpecker, I should like to say something with re- 

 gard to its food. This consists entirety of those various 

 forms of animal life found inhabiting decaying timber, or 

 taking shelter beneath the bark. The stomach of a wood- 

 pecker I opened contained a large number of the common 

 wood-louse, as well as some red ants. The bird is remark- 

 ably fond of ants, and accordingly they constitute its chief 

 food. 



M. Prevost tabulates its diet as follows : — 



Jan.^ ants ; Fch.^ worms and grubs of ants ; Marcli^ slugs, 

 beetles, and grubs of ants ; Aprll^ ants and worms ; May^ 

 red ants and grubs of wasps ; June^ bees and ants ; Jiily^ 

 red ants; Aug., red ants and worms ; Sept., ants and worms; 

 Oct,, grubs of ants; Nov., grubs of ants and bees; Dec, 

 ants. 



This list rather reminds one of the bill of fare of the 

 natives of India and Ceylon, whose meals consist, so we are 

 told, of curry and rice on the six w^orking days of the week, 

 and for a great treat on Sunday they have rice and curry. 



The green woodpecker is certainly able to find ants in the 

 winter as well as in the summer, although in the w^inter 

 season it must have considerable difficulty in obtaining 

 them. On November 24th, 1892, during a sharp frost, I was 



