BIRDS 97 



northern counties, but fairly common elsewhere. It has a quieter song, but 

 a loud rattling call like the first part of a Chaffinch's song broken off short. 

 It also utters a rapid clicking note when the nest is approached. The nest 

 is the most fragile and the smallest made by any British bird, fiat compared 

 with the Whitethroat's ; placed in bushes, hedges, and undergrowth, usually 

 near the ground. Made of the same materials as the former bird's. The eggs 

 (five or six) are white, spotted chiefly at the larger end with brown and grey. 



Woodlark. Resembles the Skylark in general colour, but is distinguished 

 by its smaller size, shorter tail, and absence of white in the tail. Many may be 

 said to be lighter in appearance, having a buff and even white colour in the 

 under parts. This species is getting less common, and more local ; but it breeds 

 generally in both England and Wales. Its nest is on or close to the ground, 

 almost always sheltered by bracken, heath, or grass, generally near trees. 

 The eggs are four in number, ashy white, spotted with brown or grey. The song 

 is superior in compass to the Skylark's, and lasts even longer. It is uttered on the 

 wing, but the bird flies in wide circles, not perpendicularly, and descends also 

 in graceful spirals ; it also sings on the ground, and in trees more frequently. 



The SHORE LARK is a winter visitor only, on the East Coast, and is marked 

 by two narrow black feathers like two horns on the sides of the head. 



Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted. There are three members of this family 

 the Picida all of which find their food in the crevices of the bark of trees. 

 Hence they are specially adapted for the work of climbing and searching, 

 having feet with strong, sharp claws, two of the toes placed forward and two 

 backward ; a longish, sharp bill a veritable pickaxe ; a very long tongue, 

 barbed at the end and sticky ; and a short, strong tail, which with its pointed 

 feathers serves as a prop and a lever. All nest in holes, generally bored by the 

 bird, and all have eggs of a beautiful glossy white. None breed in Ireland. 

 Only one of the family comes within this first group as to size the Lesser 

 Spotted Woodpecker, 6 inches in length. Its colour is principally black and 

 white in bars and patches, but the male has a crimson crown, the female a 

 whitish one. The nest is hollowed out of a decayed tree, the nesting material 

 being chips of the wood. The bird has a preference for tall trees, especially 

 elms, for its insect-hunting expeditions ; but for nesting purposes it often chooses 

 orchard trees, such as pear or apple. It utters a curious call-note, " Kink- 

 kink-kink-kink," like that of " a noisy Blackbird going to roost," and it also 

 signals by drumming on the tree with its beak, like the others of its family 

 (which see). The eggs are small, and of a pure white. 



Wren (JENNY WREN). This " jolly " little bird is with us all the year 

 round, and besides his curious note, like the winding of a clock, has a loud 

 and passionate song, extraordinarily powerful from so small a creature. It 

 is at once recognized by its small size, its nut-brown plumage, and short stumpy 

 tail, carried at right angles to the body. It builds its nest in any convenient 

 shelter wall, bank, ivy, and in such odd places as a hat or a sack. The 

 nest is beautifully made domed, with a hole at the side, well matching its 



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