110 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



this species appeared. One then alighted upon 

 the same tree where I had first seen the male 

 bird. Upon shooting it I found it was the female. 

 I waited till dark for the male, hut saw nothing of 

 him. From a person at the Priory I learned that 

 these birds had bred there last year, and reared a 

 brood. Two days later, on April 19th, I again saw 

 the male bird on his favourite tree. The note is 

 very like that of the Wryneck, but lower and more 

 musical. There are several of them at Frognal 

 (Hampstead) now. They come continually to a 

 particular tree." 



I have observed this species in the neighbourhood 

 of Brockley Hill and Elstree, and specimens have 

 been obtained at Harrow. It is not an uncommon 

 bird about Brentford, Kew, Han well, and Ealing, 

 especially in spring and autumn ; for although resi- 

 dent throughout the year in England, I have reason 

 to believe that this species is partially migratory. 

 A nest of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which I 

 found one day in May, had two entrances, from 

 opposite sides of the tree ; the holes were as nearly 

 as possible in a line, and led to a larger cavity from 

 which the hen bird might thus escape on one side if 

 assailed on the other. 



GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER, Picus martins. I 

 am aware that many naturalists attempt to throw 

 discredit upon the reported occurrence of the Great 

 Black Woodpecker in Britain, but I have never yet 



