PICID®. 253 
that he has frequently met with the present species 
in Berkshire, Somersetshire and Wiltshire, but never 
with the Greater. Montagu, on the other hand, 
asserts that the present species is the most rare of 
all the Woodpeckers, and Yarrell says that it is 
considered to be the more rare. I certainly agree 
with Mr. Morres, and consider this much the most 
common, us [ not only frequently see it about alive, 
but I have also met with it much more commonly, 
both in the flesh and stuffed, at various birdstuffers’ 
shops and in collections. It is resident with us all 
the year. 
Both in food and habits it much resembles the 
two last-mentioned species, except that I think it is 
rather less given to climbing, as I have often seen it 
perching in the ordinary way on some small twig, 
and that very often the topmost one, of some small 
tree or bush. 
The food of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker con- 
sists mostly, if not entirely, of insects; Meyer says 
entirely, nothing being found in its stomach, either 
in summer or winter, but spiders, beetles, ants or 
their larve. Like the other Woodpeckers it seeks 
its food in the crevices of the bark of trees, search- 
ing, however, the branches rather than the trunk: it 
looks for food on the ground and amongst long 
gYass. 
- The nest, if such it can be called, is always placed 
in a hole in a tree, at the bottom of which the 
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