GREEN WOODPECKER. 365 



form, G. canus, is found almost throughout the Palaearctic Region, and is 

 connected with the western form, G. viridis, by the Algerian species, which 

 is somewhat intermediate. The male of the eastern form has no scarlet 

 at the back of the head or on the moustachial stripe, and the black on the 

 head is confined to the lores and the moustachial stripe. The southern 

 form, G. occipitalis, which is found throughout the Himalayas~and the 

 Burmese mountains, resembles the eastern form in the distribution of the 

 black and red on the head, except that the hind head and nape are black. 

 An intermediate form, however, occurs in China, G. guerini, differing in 

 having less black on the crown and nape. More distantly allied species 

 from Japan and the Himalayas may be distinguished by having the under- 

 parts marked with black, as in the young of the Green Woodpecker. 



The Green Woodpecker can scarcely be regarded as a migratory bird ; 

 but in winter it often wanders far in search of food. It appears sometimes 

 to cross the sea on its migrations, as it has appeared once on the island of 

 Heligoland. 



The Green Woodpecker is the largest of the British Woodpeckers and, 

 in most localities, the best known. It loves the well-wooded districts, 

 and is seldom seen far from trees. The haunts it usually selects are 

 large parks full of old timber, ancient forests, woods, and, less fre- 

 quently, plantations and pleasure-grounds. Such romantic and pictu- 

 resque districts as Sherwood Forest are a paradise for this fine hand- 

 some bird. Here it may often be seen on the noble old oaks, twisted and 

 torn in all manner of fantastic shapes, decayed and weather-beaten, and 

 abounding with insects lurking amongst the decaying bark and timber. 

 The singular laughing cry of this bird and its unusually undulatory flight 

 as it crosses an open glade arrest the attention ; and it may be at once 

 recognized by the yellowness of its rump, which is very conspicuous as it 

 flies from the observer. When it wishes to alight it often flies up to a 

 large branch, and clings to the under surface with its long sharp claws 

 and at once begins its search for insects. Sometimes it alights on the 

 rugged trunk, not unfrequently close to the ground, and begins to ascend 

 in spiral course till it reaches the summit, when, uttering its peculiar 

 laugh, it dips down to the foot of another tree to repeat its labours. 

 When on the trunk its mode of progression resembles that of a gigantic 

 fly on a window-pane. It ruus forward a little way, pauses a moment or 

 so, then again creeps forward, now to the right, then to the left, every 

 now and then tapping the timber lustily with its stout beak, and darting 

 its long tongue into the crevices to capture its insect food. It is 

 astonishing how quickly and completely it will search a large tree-trunk, 

 beginning at the foot and working upwards to the top. Sometimes it is 

 lost to view as it searches the side of the tree furthest away from the 

 observer ; but it soon reappears, and it may be remarked how easily it 



