PICARI^. ( 261 ) PICIDjE. 



THE GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER 



PIED WOODPECKER, WIT WALL, WOOD PIE, FRENCH PIE. 



Dendrocopus major. 



The hazel blooms in threads of crimson hue, 

 Peep through the swelling buds, foretelling Spring, 



Ere yet a ivhitcthorn leaf appears in view. 



Or Alarchjinds Throstles pleased enough to sing. 

 To the old touch-wood tree Woodpeckers cling 



A moment, and their harsh-toned notes renew. 



Clare, The First Sight of Spring. 



The first record which we have of the occuneuce of the 

 Great Spotted Woodpecker in Berwickshire is in the Old 

 Statistical Account of Scotland, where the Eev. Thomas 

 Mills, in his report on the parish of Ladykirk, written in 

 1793, remarks that, "in winter Woodpeckers sometimes 

 appear." ^ Dr. Stuart of Chirnside contributed some admir- 

 able notes on this Woodpecker to the History of the Ber- 

 wickshire Naturalists' Cluh for 1868, in which he says : 

 — " Previous to the meeting of the Club at Chirnside,^ Dr. 

 Maclagan of Berwick wrote to me an interesting letter rela- 

 tive to Piciis major. When resident in Canada, he was 

 familiar with the habits of this bird, and well acquainted 

 with the peculiar tapping noise it makes when searching for 

 insects. He was therefore not a little astonished when 

 walking near Berwick to hear the familiar sound, and pre- 



1 Old Stat. Ace. of Scotland, vol. viii. p. 74. 



2 The meeting referred to was held on 26tli September 1868. 



