THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 



part a solitary bird, and although paired for life the sexes 

 do not appear to keep very close company except during 

 the breeding season. There are few warier species, and 

 even when feeding it is watchful enough, and always 

 endeavours to pursue its search on the side of the trunk 

 or branch furthest away from an observer. If approached 

 too closely it departs in a dipping flight to another tree, 

 often uttering a shrill and loud hi-hi-hi as it goes. This 

 note, however, is chiefly heard during the breeding season. 

 It by no means confines itself to the trunks and big limbs 

 of trees, upon which much of its food is sought, but 

 readily perches on the slender branches near the top. It 

 may be observed to alight on some massive tree-trunk 

 close to the ground, and then in a more or less zigzag 

 course work its way up to the summit, creeping about the 

 bark, supported by its stiff tail-feathers, and occasionally 

 running out for some distance above or below the larger 

 limbs, every now and then the lusty tapping of its stout 

 bill being heard as it dislodges some lurking insect. 

 Occasionally it may be flushed from the ground, to which 

 it resorts in quest of ants and their larvae. The food of 

 this Woodpecker largely consists of insects, occasionally 

 acorns and hazel-nuts, and I have repeatedly seen the 

 bird eating haws. Its breeding season commences in 

 April or early May, the nest being made in a hole of a 

 tree, less frequently in a cliff. This hole is dug out by 

 the old birds, the hard, powerful, chisel-shaped bill being 

 admirably adapted for the purpose. Sometimes the wood 

 is rotten or partly so, and then the work is easy ; at others 

 it is sound, involving much more labour. For a little 

 way the hole is more or less horizontal, then it takes a 

 downward turn for about a foot, and at the bottom, in an 

 enlarged chamber, the eggs are laid on no other nest but 

 the powdered wood or a few chips. An occupied nest is 

 generally indicated by a number of these chips lying on 

 the ground below. The eggs, from five to eight, are 

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