THE GREEN WOODPECKER 75 



these. But as soon as you hear the yaffle's laughing 

 note you may be sure the sap is rightly astir, and 

 that the grove will presently grow dim with new 

 greenery. The jay, harshly garrulous at all other 

 times, falls cunningly silent in the nesting season; 

 but the yaffle cannot hold his tongue in the honey- 

 moon. 



Many green woodpeckers perished in the great 

 frost ; for, as is well known to those who study their 

 habits, these birds depend almost as much on ants 

 and other terrestrial insects as on those harbouring 

 in trees. A heavy snowfall cuts them off from this 

 source of supply. It was, therefore, with special 

 pleasure that I listened to their notes this morning 

 (March 20) among the old oaks of the Forest of 

 Arden, giving assurance that the tribe is far from 

 extinct. The yaffle is one of the bonny birds that 

 run heavy risks by reason of their gay plumage. 

 His sage-green mantle, flaming crest, yellow rump, 

 and chequered tail-coverts have brought him into 

 great request with the * plume' trade, which our 

 gentle ladies, by their passive obedience to despotic 

 milliners, so deplorably encourage. Not that the 

 other sex can be acquitted of purblind guilt in this 

 matter. There are very few, if any, English manors 



