356 BRITISH BIRDS' XESTS. 



Tail longest in the centre, and black, the outside 

 feathers being tipped in increasing lengths from the 

 middle with white. Chin, throat, breast, and belly 

 dirty white ; vent and under tail-coverts bright 

 scarlet. Legs, toes, and claws greenish-grey. 



The female is a little smaller than the male, 

 and lacks the scarlet on the back of her head. 

 Easily distinguished from the Lesser and Spotted 

 Woodpecker by its much greater size and lack of 

 white on the back. 



Situation and Locality. In holes in trees, 

 either dug by the bird's own exertions, or a decayed 

 hole in the trunk or a branch, adapted and enlarged 

 It is somewhat similar to that of the other Wood- 

 peckers, and varies from ten to twenty inches in 

 depth. In forests, well-timbered parks, woods, and 

 other places where old trees exist. It is found in 

 nearly all the counties of England and Wales, 

 excepting those north of Yorkshire, where it is an 

 exceedingly rare bird, as it also is both in Scotland 

 and Ireland. Our illustration is from a photograph 

 procured in Middlesex. 



Materials. None, the eggs being laid on the 

 powdered wood and chips produced in making the 

 cavity for their reception. 



Eggs. Four to seven, occasionally as many as 

 eight, white, unspotted, and glossy. Size about 

 1'05 by -75 in. Distinguished by their size and 

 characteristics of parent birds. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Eesident, but its numbers are said 

 to be increased in winter by Continental visitors. 

 Notes : gich-gich, quet-quet, tra, tra, tra. Local 

 and other names : Witwall, Woodnacker, Wood-pie, 

 French-pie, Great Black and White Woodpecker, 

 Spickel-pied Woodpecker. A very close sitter. 



