/I&arcb 57 



with so much sound. Its mating call-note is a clear 

 sharp cry, several times repeated at short intervals, 

 and maintained throughout the early spring months. 



One ancient lime tree near this house has frequently 

 been the nesting home of four species of birds. In 

 the highest hole some starlings established themselves. 

 Just below a smaller cavity was taken by a pair of 

 nuthatches. Some jackdaws appropriated another 

 opening in the stem, and lower down a neat round 

 hole was bored by a green woodpecker. 



These various lodgers all appeared to live har- 

 moniously together, and they allowed me to watch 

 them as they flitted in and out on family cares 

 intent. The green woodpecker was the most wary, 

 and would seldom allow me more than a hasty 

 glimpse of his crimson head and golden green 

 plumage. 



The nuthatch has a curious habit of closing the 

 entrance to its nest with layers of mud until only 

 a very small hole remains. The illustration shows a 

 case in point. The bird had made its nest about 

 twelve inches down a hollow tree trunk, and then, 

 with infinite labour, it brought yellow clay sufficient 

 to close up the tree stem, leaving but a small hole for 

 ingress and egress. 



It is said that the male bird keeps its mate upon 

 the nest, and feeds her through the entrance hole until 

 her eggs are hatched. I have not seen this myself, 

 and can only give the fact as stated by others. 



TREE SEEDS 



The high winds which usually prevail in early spring 

 are performing a very useful office in scattering 

 the seeds of trees and plants. When the hornbeams, 



