494 THE GREATER SPOTTED OR PIED WOODPECKER. 



The Great Black Woodpecker. 



Picus Martins. {Linn.) 



Like the birds, 



" Trust in the Lord, but keep your powder dry." — Cromwell. 



This bird is so very rare that its title to be called a British 

 bird is questioned. I never saw it about St Andrews, so I need 

 not give long extracts from other observers. It is about the 

 size of the rook, and looks like one when flying. The whole 

 plumage is black, except the crown of the head, which is bright 

 arterial red ; iris, yellowish-white. It feeds on larva3 by digging 

 in the bark of trees, on wasps, bees, and other insects. If 

 insects fail, it feeds on seeds, nuts, and berries. It climbs with 

 the same ease as the last — its bill, tongue, legs, claws, and tail 

 the same. It also nestles in the holes of trees, and lays three or 

 four pure white glossy eggs, If in. long. It inhabits the north 

 of Europe as far as Siberia, is less abundant in the great 

 mountain forests of France and Germany. If there is no hole 

 for its nest it makes one. 



The Greater Spotted or Pied Woodpecker. 



Picus Major. (Lirin.) 



"Eat, drink, and enjoy the fruit of your labour, 

 For it is the gift of God." — Solomon. 



This bird is native, breeds in Britain, but rarer than the 

 green species ; is of tenest seen in the extensive fir woods on the 

 Spey and Braemar than other parts of Scotland ; but is more 

 generally distributed in England, from the Tweed to the 

 Channel — its structure and habits same as those of the green 

 species; but it rarely descends to the ground for food, and 

 oftener makes the jarring sound which distinguishes wood- 

 peckers, especially when disturbed from the nest. Like the 

 little coletit, it will hardly quit its eggs or young. One sat on 



