GREEN WOODPECKER. 97 



the tree in which it has been preparing a place for its offspring ; 

 but, although such may be the case, I have never, after a very- 

 minute search, seen either male or female removing the chips, 

 which, on the contrary, I have always found in profusion near 

 their holes. This bird never uses masonry, as the Nuthatch 

 does, at the mouth of the holes which it chooses for nidifica- 

 tion. I have never found any appearance of nest, excepting 

 the decayed wood, on which were laid from five to seven deli- 

 cate and beautiful white eggs. 



" I am not aware of any seasonal difference in the note of the 

 male, save and except in the vernal months, when he is more 

 clamorous, and much more frequently repeats his shout. The 

 loud laugh, the plui-plui-plui is the same, not varying in 

 cadence, throughout the spring, and perhaps the summer 

 months. I never saw it scratch when on the ground, even on 

 the most sandy soils, but I have repeatedly noticed it thrust its 

 powerful bill into the ant-hillocks, after the manner of the 

 Rook, and most probably to obtain the eggs as well as the per- 

 fect ants. This habit of the bird will account for its bill bein^ 

 often found covered with earthy and miry substances.'' 



On the continent, it is said to be generally dispersed, from 

 the Scandinavian peninsula to Greece ; and, according to Pro- 

 fessor Jameson, occurs in the Himalayan range. 



Young. — When fully fledged, the young resemble the adult, 

 with the following difterences : — the upper parts are of a duller 

 green, each feather on the back with a yellowish-white spot, 

 and the tip pale ; those of the rump and the tail-coverts barred 

 with dusky and yellowish-white ; the feathers of the head are 

 bluish-grey, with a dusky bar, and the tip crimson ; the lower 

 parts are dull yellowish-white, transversely undulated with 

 dusky ; the sides of the head and fore-neck streaked with dusky, 

 and the mystachial band small, and brownish-black, with small 

 white spots. 



