354 LESSER-SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 



and Warwickshire, and one was killed near 

 Newcastle in January, 1829, which is perhaps 

 the northern range of the bird in our country. 

 It has been remarked in the districts it frequents, 

 even more than the larger species, on account of 

 its peculiar note, continued for a time together, 

 and which is most probably a call-note during the 

 breeding season, though we are not aware that it 

 is confined to this period only. Mr Bree says, 

 " It resembles that made by the boring of a large 

 auger through the hardest wood, and hence the 

 country people sometimes call the bird ' Purnp 

 Borer.' " The Lesser-spotted Woodpecker breeds 

 like the last in hollow trees, laying the eggs, it is 

 said, on the bare or rotten wood, and having the 

 entrance hole always of a size in proportion to 

 that of the bird. On the Continent Temminck 

 considers it as most abundant in the north, 

 frequenting the pine forests, becoming more 

 uncommon in the south, and very rarely occur- 

 ring in Holland. 



In the male the forehead is grayish white, 

 crown arterial red, running into black on the 

 occiput, which is continued down the centre of 

 the nape, and forms a broad band of the same 

 colour upon the shoulders ; the cheeks, and a 

 patch on each side the neck white, bordered 

 beneath the auriculars with black; the upper 

 parts and wings are banded alternately with black 

 and white, the latter predominating on the centre 

 of the back ; the rump and middle tail feathers 

 black, the outer feather white, with black bars, 



