BLACK WOODPECKER. 73 
he has known these birds to occur more than once at 
Charborough Park, in that county, the seat of J. S. W. S. 
Hi. Drax, Esq.; and also to have built several times, one pair 
he believes, three successive years, at Claremont, Surrey. 
In Ireland, the Black Woodpecker has not yet been seen. 
The gloomy recesses of the sunless pine woods are the 
proper places of this sable species. In the ‘Black Forest’ he 
is at home, and does not consider himself as an ‘Exile of 
the Landes.’ 
These birds are of a morose and unsociable disposition. 
Two are the most that associate together; a third is, imme- 
diately on its appearance, banished from their neighbourhood. 
‘The Black Woodpecker is a strong, active, and lively bird. 
Its restless nature drives it from spot to spot; and when 
aware of being observed toc nearly, it endeavours to effect 
its escape, unnoticed by its pursuers, at an incredible rate, 
but may generally be detected by the noise it makes, first in 
one place then in another, in Jess time than seems possible. 
When hurried, it runs up a tree, taking reiterated leaps for- 
ward, with such force that its claws may plainly be heard 
hooking into the rough bark of the tree, and its tail beating 
against it alternately to balance itself. Under these cireum- 
stances the bird holds its head back and raises its breast 
from the tree, which gives it, in that attitude, a noble 
appearance.’ 
Its flight is heavy, and not extended—a series of falls and 
risings, performed with some degree of apparent difficulty, 
the wings being exerted to a more than ordinarily forward 
extension. In general it is only continued from the top 
of one tree to the bottom of another, up which the bird 
runs with nimble alertness, evidently perfectly at home. It 
is said to roost at night in the hole of a tree, perhaps, at 
times, that in which it builds, and to enlarge it for itself 
if necessary. 
It preys on beetles and other insects and their larve; ants 
and their eggs; which are captured by means of the glutinous 
substance exuded from its elongate tongue, darted out when- 
ever they are likely to be obtained. In default of this food, 
it is said, by Temminck, to eat nuts, seeds, and berries, 
The note, at least that of the male bird, is rendered by 
the syllables ‘cree, cree,’ and ‘kirr, kirr;’ and it has other 
flexions of varied import, not without meaning, doubtless, to 
the birds themselves. While thus engaged, the crimson 
