46 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



after a new moult are white, soon become very much 

 discoloured. He has some Woodpeckers from Malacca, 

 whose breasts and tails are completely clogged with 

 the gum from the trees which they frequented. 



In a letter dated November 26, 1867, the same 

 gentleman says, that owing to the mildness of the 

 early part of November of that year, a pair of little 

 Spotted Woodpeckers began to build in an old poplar 

 on Mrs. De Vitre's grounds at Formosa, Cookham. 

 Mr. Briggs, the head gardener, had fired at a haw- 

 finch unsuccessfully, and was reloading his gun when 

 he heard a tapping above his head, and looking up, 

 he perceived a little Woodpecker hammering at a 

 dead branch with all its might. So intent was the 

 bird on his labours, that the report of the gun had 

 not frightened him, and he worked hard all that day. 

 This was on the nth, and on the 13th the hole was 

 visibly progressing. There was just room for the 

 bird to get inside the tree on this day, and the pair 

 worked hard at the interior. Mr. Briggs watched 

 them for some time, and every now and then a little 

 head appeared at the opening and dropped a piece 

 of bark out, and then disappeared, presently re- 

 appearing with another piece. So the work went 

 on, till upon the 20th the hole was apparently quite 

 finished, but the cold weather which then set in 

 prevented them from continuing their operations. 



Mr. Gould* has some interesting notes upon the 



* 'Birds of Great Britain.' 



