66 BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 



summer months. Has certainly increased in North 

 Lincolnshire during the last ten years. 



108. NUCIFRAGA CARYOCATACTES (Linnaeus) . Nut- 



cracker. 



I can find no notice, early or recent, of the capture 

 of this rare species either in North Lincolnshire or 

 Holderness. One, a male (having a narrow pointed 

 beak), was shot at Christchurch, Hampshire, during 

 the first week in November 1868. I had an oppor- 

 tunity of examining the stomach of this bird, which 

 was sent me by Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun. It con- 

 tained the fragments of Coleoptera of several species 

 and sizes, principally those of Aphodius contaminatus 

 of Fabricius, a small portion of vegetable fibre, some 

 white oats, and a few small stones. 



INSESSOEES SCANSOEES. FICIDM. 



109. Picus VIRIDIS, Linnseus. Green Woodpecker. 

 Provincial. Rain-bird, Yaffler. 



Sparsely distributed throughout the oldest- timbered 

 part of the country. 



This beautiful and attractive bird is, I regret to 

 say, becoming very rare. Their scarcity of late years 

 is certainly not due to increased persecution, but is 

 probably consequent on the destruction of many of 

 their favourite haunts by the gradual felling of the 

 older woodlands and hedgerow timber and their re- 

 placement by trees of a younger growth. 



