RED-LETTER DAYS AMONG BIRDS 



59 



me long before Spring has summoned the uprising of the sap, 

 and makes the naked woods re-echo with high-pitched vocalisa- 

 tions. The shyest and rarest species of all, the Great Spotted, 

 has also crossed my path, traversing, as I watched with feverish 

 excitement, the bole of a forest monarch, insect-hunting all the 

 time. But for sheer impudence or consciousness of protection 

 I know not which one of these birds which visited a Scarborough 

 garden is hard to beat. The bird paid regular excursions to a 

 small back garden, and became so tame and confiding that it 

 bathed in a porcelain dish, as does the homely Robin to-day in 

 an earthenware vessel near the open casement of my own dining- 

 room. 



AO 



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FIG. 22. GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 



One day a young boy of my acquaintance expressed a wish 

 to see " the big black and white bird," and, to satisfy his desire, 

 the youngster was taken into the garden about the time of day 

 when a visit from the Woodpecker was expected. 



In almost less time than it takes to tell the story, the Wood- 

 pecker arrived at its destination, and landed straight on the 

 boy's head as our artist has faithfully depicted. The boy turned 

 round, having observed the bird flying towards him, to see 



