The Great Spotted Woodpecker 



Scandinavia. It can hardly, however, be considered a 

 regular winter visitor, as such immigrations are largely de- 

 pendent on the season, and it is only at irregular periods 

 that really large numbers arrive. 



The upper parts of the male are chiefly black ; the fore- 

 head, cheeks, ear coverts, and scapulars are white ; nape 

 crimson ; wing feathers black, barred with white on the 

 outer webs ; under parts whitish ; vent crimson. The 

 female lacks the red on the head, but the young of hoth 

 sexes have the crown red. Length 9*4 in. ; wing 5*5 in. 



LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER 



Dendrocopus minor (Linnaeus) 



In many well-wooded localities in the south, the Lesser 

 Spotted Woodpecker may be almost considered common, 

 though from its small size and partiality to the topmost 

 branches of tall trees, it is but seldom seen. In Wales and 

 north of the Midlands it becomes extremely local, and in 

 Scotland and Ireland it has only been obtained as a rare 

 straggler on a few isolated occasions. In food and habits 

 it hardly differs from its larger congener, but the nest is 

 generally hewn out in some dead tree. It has not occurred 

 on migration. The male has the upper parts chiefly black, 

 barred with white ; the forehead buff ; crown of the head 

 crimson ; nape and malar stripe black ; cheeks white. The 

 under parts are huffish white with black streaks on the 

 flanks. The female has only got a little red on the fore 

 part of the head. Length 6 in. ; wing 3 '7 in. 



i8i 



