136 OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



is an effectual remedy for this disease. The best 

 method of applying it is to take an ordinary 

 feather a pigeon's or partridge's wing-feather is 

 as suitable as any pull off all the fibres, except 

 those at the extreme tip, dip it in the camphorated 

 oil, and thrust it down the throat, giving it a twist 

 between the finger and thumb. It was a remedy 

 which I discovered quite by accident, and one 

 which I have never known to fail. 



I have on one or two occasions noticed the 

 green woodpecker in the neighbourhood of our 

 village, and last summer one of the large spotted 

 variety paid me a visit. The lesser barred wood- 

 pecker I have never had the good fortune to see, 

 though when living in Hampshire I heard of 

 an occasional specimen being procured, and they 

 are doubtless more common than is supposed ; 

 but they are difficult birds to catch sight of, 

 and I am not sufficiently conversant with their 

 note to recognize it, especially when other 

 birds are in full song at the time. I know 

 nothing more difficult than to be able to detect 



o 



the songs of different birds when there are several 

 singing at once, and I often regret my inability 

 to do so. Some people are so fortunately 

 constituted as to be able to distinguish every 

 variety of bird under such circumstances ; it is a 

 great advantage to a lover of birds. Although 

 I have often tried to acquire the power my ear 

 gets confused. 



I" have observed the wryneck on one or two 



