GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 357 



larvse of many wood-haunting moths ; but is said not to eat ants or their 

 eggs, and this may explain why the bird is so seldom seen on the ground. 

 In fruit-time it often pays the orchard a visit to regale itself on cherries 

 and plums; and in autumn and winter it largely subsists upon nuts, 

 acorns, beech-mast, fir-cones, and berries of different kinds. It has also 

 been known to feed on earthworms. This species, as welhus-the other 

 Woodpeckers, are of the greatest service in ridding trees of injurious insects 

 that in too many cases cause premature decay ; and they ought to be 

 encouraged and protected by all tree-owners. It has been said that the 

 Great Spotted Woodpecker damages the timber by boring into it ; but the 

 bird never burrows into a healthy tree, the wood is far too hard and 

 the inducement to do so small. Waterton's masterly defence of the Wood- 

 pecker will be fresh in the memory of most of my readers. 



The Great Spotted Woodpecker is a somewhat late breeder. It is said 

 to pair in March and April ; but it seldom has eggs before the middle of 

 May. It is most probable that this bird pairs for life, and that the birds 

 that mate in the spring are the young of the previous year, or birds 

 who have lost their mates, for in many cases the old hole is tenanted 

 year after year. The hole in which its eggs are deposited is nearly always 

 made by the bird, but it is said that a ready-made one is sometimes utilized. 

 Occasionally it is made in a large branch, but more frequently in the trunk, 

 and a decayed part is invariably selected. It is often made where a branch 

 has been blown away and the rain has rotted a small hole into the trunk. 

 This is often enlarged if it be not already big enough for the purpose. The 

 hole varies in extent, sometimes being as much as eighteen inches deep, but 

 frequently only a foot, and, more rarely, the eggs are within reach of the 

 hand. The passage is wonderfully round and smooth, and the end is enlarged 

 a little into a sort of chamber, and here the eggs are deposited. The bird 

 makes no nest; the eggs lie upon the powdered wood at the bottom 

 of the hole. They vary from five to seven or eight in number, and are 

 creamy white with no spots or markings, save an occasional nest-stain. 

 They vary in length from 1-15 to '95 inch and in breadth from '82 to '75 

 inch. The eggs of the Great Spotted Woodpecker are easily distinguished 

 from all the other British species of this group of birds ; they are much 

 too small to be ever taken for those of the Green Woodpecker, whilst they 

 are equally too large to be confused with those of the Lesser Spotted 

 Woodpecker or Wryneck, and their warmer white colour is different from 

 that of either. The eggs of the Kingfisher and Bee-eater are much rounder, 

 whiter, and have more polish ; those of the Dipper resemble them the 

 nearest, indeed it is rather difficult to distinguish some specimens, but, as a 

 rule, the eggs of this bird are duller and not so highly polished. Both birds 

 assist in incubating the eggs and sit very close, often allowing themselves 

 to be removed by the hand. The young are hatched in about a fortnight 



