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Che Birds of Cookin and the Aeighbourtrood. 
THE WOODPECKER.—Continued from page 178, Vol. I. 
HAVE referred to the early breeding of the bird, and can add 
a curious fact which occurred lately. About the middle of 
last November the weather was very mild, and on the 11th, Mr. 
Briggs’ attention was attracted by a vigorous tapping on a tree 
above his head. Looking up, he perceived a Little Spotted 
Woodpecker hard at work, and noticed it on the two following 
days, still hewing out the hole. On the 13th the hole was made, 
and the birds passed inside. There they continued their labours, 
every now and then a little head appearing at the mouth of the 
hole, and dropping a piece of bark down. In this way the 
ground at the foot of the tree was soon strewn with chips, but a 
frost coming on on the 15th, and more hard weather following, 
the birds were driven from the undertaking, and the male shortly 
after happening to wander into Lady Young’s grounds, was shot, 
and is at present in my collection. Mr. Briggs is of opinion that 
the female will find another mate, and will recommence building 
operations with the return of fine weather. Should this be 
realised, I shall not fail to notice the occurrence in the Society’s 
Journal. 
Sub-fam. GECININE. 
Gecinus. 
23. Gecinus viridis. The Green Woodpecker. 
This bird is very scarce in the neighbourhood of Cookham, 
where it is known by the namo of ‘ Whitoll,’’* or some such 
name, but it is difficult to understand the villagers, all of whom 
pronounce it in a different manner. It is occasionally cbserved 
on the tall elms at Formosa, where a fine bird was obtained for 
Mrs. De Vitre's collection. The species is particularly abundant 
in Huntingdonshire, where I have often counted as many as twenty 
in the course of an afternoon’s walk. I have lately procured a 
very beautiful male with the red cheek-mark strongly develope’, 
which I owe to the kindness of Mr. Lynn, the head gardener at 
Lord Boston’s. It was shot, I believe, at Billing-bear. 
; * See vel, 1; p. 73s 
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