68 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



have plenty of time to look for him. When the 

 little fellow visits gardens and this he will do 

 in populous country towns, not villages he is 

 sure to visit the plum and cherry trees. As 

 the smallest patch of moss or fungi is never 

 allowed to gather on choice trees, the bark is 

 clean and bright. Light olive, with a tinge of 

 slate colour here and there, gives the best idea 

 of the colouring. 



On this, when he is skimming about in all 

 directions, the bird shows out like some hand- 

 some, quick-moving, tropical moth. The last 

 one that I had was killed with a "pea rifle" 

 almost close to my own door. 



A sovereign will not place in your hand, if 

 you require them particularly, either the greater 

 or the lesser black and white woodpeckers, 

 or their eggs ; they are hard to circumvent, so 

 far as the birds are concerned, and the eggs 

 are still more difficult to handle. 



A keen shot, well up in woodcraft, once had 

 permission to range a fine avenue of beech 

 trees for a specimen of the greater species. 

 The bird was there right enough, for he not 

 only heard it, but he saw it dodging about 

 frequently ; but it was three weeks before he 

 got his bird. 



