146 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



several yards of its length, and then flown off to the 

 trunk, and resumed its course upwards. This motion, 

 which was performed without a break, had a very singular 

 appearance. 



Thoresby Park is a favourite habitat of this species ; 

 there, from a large crab tree, I once roused three 

 together ; they uttered a short, sharp cry, as they usually 

 do when disturbed, and flew off to a clump of large 

 Scotch firs at a little distance two of them, by the red 

 occiput, being evidently males. In that part of the park 

 known as the Old Wood, I have met with them more 

 frequently than in any other, but seldom with more than 

 one at a time; I have also seen them in Birkland. 

 They are not such exclusive insect feeders as the pre- 

 ceding species, but vary their diet with the seeds of 

 various trees, especially those of the pine. 



The lesser Spotted Woodpecker (P. minor) is, I 

 think, more local than any of our other British species. 

 I have only met with three specimens one a male, and 

 the others two females ; two were in Thoresby Park and 

 one in Birkland ; none of them had the shyness of the 

 other two species. The male I watched especially for 

 some time, while it was engaged in searching with most 

 industrious agility the branches of a very large silver 

 willow. It seemed little alarmed at my presence, but 

 at length took wing to some trees at a short distance, 

 repeating its cry several times in a shrill tone. 



I have only met with the Wryneck (Yunx torquilld) 

 a few times. It is well known by our country people as 

 the " cuckoo's mate," but its shy and secluded habits 

 remove it greatly from the common gaze. I have never 

 seen it but in the forest, where it is attracted by the 

 same inducements as the woodpeckers abundance of 



