268 

 WOODPECKER, LESSER SPOTTED. 



Picus MINOR, Lin. 



This species occurs in most of the southern, 

 eastern, and midland counties of England. Its 

 habits are similar to those of the last-named 

 species. It usually prefers the higher branches 

 of trees, although it by no means confines itself 

 to thenij and is so intent on searching for 

 its food that it pays little attention to a person 

 coming to watch or shoot it. It produces occa- 

 sionally an extraordinarily loud, rapid, vibra- 

 tory noise, somewhat resembling that made by the 

 boring of a large auger in hard wood^ but its ordi- 

 nary voice is a feeble squeak several times repeated. 

 The eggs, five in number and of a pinkish white, 

 are deposited in the bottom of a hole. 



WREN, COMMON. 



TROGLODYTES VULGARIS, Flem. 



The Wren is found in all parts of this kingdom, 

 inhabiting even the northern isles of Scotland, in 

 which it is a constant resident. It frequents stone 

 walls, fragments of rocks, thickets of gorse, hedge 

 banks, woods, and gardens. Its food consists of 



