GARDEN AND ORCHARD BIRD-LIFE. 57 



may be found nesting, whilst the three British 

 species of Woodpeckers frequent them. The Black 

 and White Woodpeckers appear to be specially 

 addicted to cherry orchards, doubtless owing to 

 their strong partiality for fruit ; whilst the Green 

 Woodpecker seems most at home amongst 

 the apple-trees, where an abundance of food 

 can be found lurking amongst the lichen, and 

 under the bark of the decayed trunks and 

 branches. It is no unusual thing to flush this 

 woodpecker from the ground in orchards, where it 

 searches for ants, and we have even watched it 

 overhauling the great heaps of apples (waiting 

 to be carted off to the cider presses) in quest 

 of grubs. 



Some of these grand old Devon orchards are 

 literally great aviaries of wild song-birds. To the 

 contemplative lover of bird-life it is always a treat 

 to enter one of these quiet shady nooks, to bury 

 oneself amidst the blossom and greenery, and 

 lazily recline on the bank of the hedge or 

 amongst the tall rank grass under the trees, to 

 listen to the chorus of song and cry, and to watch 

 the movements of the feathered company around. 

 With such surroundings existence is a pleasant 



