250 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



the back and wings the green feathers are tipped with 

 yellow, all the under surface much the same as the 

 adult, hut streaked longitudinally on the neck, and 

 transversely on the hreast and belly, with greyish 

 black.* The green colour on the under surface in- 

 creases with age. There seems to be an occasional 

 variety in the plumage of this bird : the tips of the 

 wings for about two inches down each feather, and 

 nearly the whole of the tail-feathers, being of a rusty 

 brown colour, t 



The eggs are a pure shining white, much about 

 the size of those of the Missel Thrush. 



GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER, Picus major. 

 This bird is by no means so common as the last- 

 mentioned species, and is considerably more local in 

 distribution : it is resident throughout the year. In 

 habits and mariners, as well as in food, it somewhat 

 resembles the Green Woodpecker, except that it 

 does not resort so much to the ground in search of 

 ants, grubs and worms, but confines itself more to 

 the various grubs and insects to be found about and 

 under the bark of trees : it, however, varies its food 

 a little by occasionally taking grain, nuts and the 

 seed of the pine. Like the last species it places its 

 eggs in a hole in a tree, without any nest : like it, 

 too, it is a moderately early nester, the young birds 



* Yarrell, vol. ii., p. 152. 



f ' Zoologist' for 1867 (Second Series, p. 950). 



