CHAPTER XI 



FASCICULA 

 SPECIFIC BIRD-STUDIES 



Greater Spotted Woodpecker {Dendrocopus major). 



This species is the typical woodpecker of the Border- 

 land — the Lesser being - wholly unknown and the Green 

 Woodpecker very scarce and irregular. 1 A few of the 

 above are permanently resident, a pair or two frequent- 

 ing most of the larger woods. But the numbers of 

 these residents are reinforced, at quite irregular intervals, 

 by migrants from Northern Europe. Such accessions 

 occurred, for example, in the autumns of 1886 and 1898. 

 During both, this bird was reported at many points, 

 some occurrences coming under our own observation. 

 One at Scots Gap, November 12th, 1886 — "making the 

 chips fly like a woodman," as the keeper put it. Two 

 others, in the same week, on Holy Island — clearly from 

 over-sea. There are few trees on the island, and for lack of 

 a suitable perch, one of these two woodpeckers "clapped 

 itself on to a gate-post"! Another on the 20th, near 

 Durham. 



Then in 1898, a spotted woodpecker spent an after- 



1 A Green Woodpecker was observed at Houxty, October 26th, 1905 — 

 only the second occurrence that has fallen within my own observation. 



