Mr. P. F. M. Galloway,



1S4



is very probable that my three birds, consisting of an adult male

and female and immature male, are the only living representatives

of this species in Great Britain at the present time.


The adult male has a black head and throat, bluish beak,

maroon back and breast, black wings and dirty salmon pink tail.


The hen is similar and of the same size, but has the back

brownish black, breast striated black, grey and white, and tail of

a warm brown. The young cock is exactly like the hen, except

for the eye, and here one finds a point by which to sex immature

birds; the young cock, like the adult cock, has a light yellow

iris, whereas the hen’s is of a dark-brown, almost black.


They are easy to keep and thrive on a diet of fruit, mostly

bananas and soft food—both males have a harsh song, very loud

and oft repeated, but I have only heard them in the spring. They

have been with me now for over twelve months and last summer

the young male was seen carrying twigs about but no nest was

built; this year, however, they may go further, at least I hope so.


The nest is a suspended bag or pocket, constructed ot

bark, grass, leaves, moss, hair and fibre, the rim being woven

over the fork, formed by two branching twigs.



THE LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER.


Notes on the Rearing by Hand

from the Age of Five Days.


By P. F. M. Galloway.


This little Woodpecker is a handsome bird and a very

interesting one in captivity.


It is some five or six years ago since I first found the nest

of this species. The site chosen was a projecting limb of a dead

apple tree, at the end ot a paddock, close to a small wood and

the nest was not more than fifteen feet from the ground ; the top

portion of the limb had been blown off at some period by the

wind, and within a few inches of the top of the stump a hole

had been beautifully bored, about the size round of a penny

and about seven inches in depth.


The hole faced a footpath frequented by children and I

felt sure the nest would be interfered with by them sooner or



