166 FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



2.40 Hen fed young partly on a larva or two and partly by 

 regurgitation. I am convinced that the latter process was 

 resorted to, as the bills of the young bird and parent bird 

 were parted. I distinctly saw a rope of saliva from the one 

 to the other. The bill of the young bird is much greyer than 

 that of the adult, especially about the lower mandible, and the 

 white of the plumage is very yellow, almost primrose 

 coloured. (E.H.C. suggests that the yellow may be a result of 

 continual contact with the birch tree.) 



2.55 Male brought moth that looked like a Bupalus piniaria 

 female for size and colour. 3.20 Male fed young. 3.22 male 

 fed young by regurgitation. The young are now chirping and 

 also making a noise like a whitethroat scolding, The latter 

 noise they always make after having food. I was out of the 

 observation tent from 3.25 till 3.55 when the female fed the 

 young by regurgitation. 3.57 One of the birds fed, and was 

 gone before I could get the glasses up. 4.20 The male fed 

 young very quickly, and again at 4.35. Neither bird had 

 returned at 4.40 when I left. 



27th June. The birds had flown, and the neighbourhood 

 seemed curiously empty and silent after their departure ; 

 noisy as they are, they are cheerful little birds, and most 

 amusing to watch. (W.P.C. and E.H.C.). 

 Dryobates minor (Lesser Spotted Woodpecker). 



19th February, 1915. One seen at Sandbanks Road, Poole. 

 (W.P.C.). 



5th April. One had commenced a nesting hole in a rotten 

 beech at Canford. 



1st May. Dr. Penrose's chauffeur Hanson watched this 

 bird at work on this hole during the afternoon. 



22nd May. We again watched the hole in the hope of 

 seeing the bird, but did not do so, and we found subsequently 

 that the hole was abandoned. 



13th June. W.P.C. spent some considerable time watching 

 this hole, but as no bird appeared he concluded that the 

 close proximity of some filthy starlings had been too much 

 for the little bird. (W.P.C. and E.H.C.). 



