io has known these birds to occur more than once at 

 (.Mini-borough Park, in that county, the seat of J. S. VV. 8. 

 E. Drax, Esq.; and also to have built several times, one pair 

 lie believes, three successive years, at Claremont, Surrey. 



Jn Ireland, the Black Woodpecker has not yet been seen. 



The gloomy recesses of the sunless pine woods are the 

 proper places of this sable species. In the 'Black Forest' he 

 is at home, and does not consider himself as an 'Exile of 

 the Landes.' 



These birds are of a morose and unsociable disposition. 

 Two are the most that associate together; a third is, imme- 

 diately on its appearance, banished from their neighbourhood. 

 'The Black Yv r oodpecker is a strong, active, and lively bird. 

 Its restless nature drives it from spot to spot; and when 

 aware of being observed too nearly, it endeavours to effect 

 its escape, unnoticed by its pursuers, at an incredible rate, 

 but may generally be detected by the noise it makes, lirst in 

 one place then in another, in less time than seems possible. 

 When hurried, it runs up a tree, taking reiterated leaps for- 

 ward, with such forcd that its claws may plainly be heard 

 hooking into the rough bark of the tree, and its tail beating 

 against it alternately to balance itself. Under these circum- 

 stances the bird holds its head back and raises its breast 

 from the tree, which gives it, in that attitude, a noble 

 appearance.' 



Its iliglit is heavy, and not extended a series of falls and 

 rising's, performed with some degree of apparent difficulty, 

 the wings being exerted to a more than ordinarily forward 

 extension. In general it is only continued from the top 

 of one tree to the bottom of another, up which the bird 

 runs with nimble alertness, evidently perfectly at home. It 

 is said to roost at night in the hole of a tree, perhaps, at 

 times, that in which it builds, and to enlarge it for itself 

 if necessary. 



It preys on beetles and other insects and their larva? ; ants 

 and their eg^s; which are captured by means of the glutinous 

 substance exuded from its elongate tongue, darted out when- 

 ever they are likely to be obtained. In default of this food, 

 it is said, by Temminck, to eat nuts, seeds, and berries, 



The note, at least that of the male bird, is rendered by 

 the syllables 'cree, cree,' and 'kirr, kirr;' and it has other 

 flexions of varied import, not without meaning, doubtless, to 

 the birds themselves. V/hile thus engaged, the crimson 



