THE LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKEE. 159 



and Hereford. It is said by several observers to be not uncom- 

 mon in some districts. Thus, Mr. GOULD, in his beautiful Illus- 

 trations of the Birds of Europe, says, ' In England it is far more 

 abundant than is generally supposed ; we have seldom sought 

 for it in vain wherever large trees, particularly the elm, grow in 

 sufficient numbers to invite its abode ; its security from sight is 

 to be attributed more to its habit of frequenting the topmost 

 branches than to its rarity.' The Hev. Mr. BEEE states, that ' it 

 is by no means of rare occurrence in his neighbourhood, where, 

 however, it is more readily heard than seen. Its loud, rapid, vi- 

 bratory noise, most extraordinarily loud to be produced by so 

 small an animal, can hardly fail to arrest the attention of the 

 most unobserving ear. Though I have watched the bird during 

 the operation, and within the distance of a few yards, I am quite 

 at a loss to account for the manner in which the noise is pro- 

 duced. It resembles that made by the boring of a large augur 

 through the hardest wood ; and hence the country people some- 

 times call the bird the Pump-borer.' Mr. DOVASTON informs 

 us that it is a very frequent, but uncertain, visitor to the woods 

 near Shrewsbury, never failing in April to astonish him 'with its 

 prodigiously loud churr on the ranpikes of trees, which, the at- 

 mosphere being favourable, may be heard more than a mile. It 

 much resembles the snorting of a frightened horse, but louder 

 and longer.' He then states that the bird, in performing this 

 sound, 'vibrates its beak against the tree ; the motion is so quick 

 as to be invisible, and the head appears in two places at once. 

 It is surprising, and to me wondrously pleasing, to observe the 

 many varieties of tone and pitch in their loud churry, as they 

 change their place on boughs of different vibration, as though 

 they struck on the several bars of a gigantic staccato. When 

 actually boring, they make no noise whatever, but quietly and 

 silently pick out the pieces of decaying wood, which, lying white 

 and scattered beneath on the ground and plants, leads the eye 

 up to their operations above. They have several favourite spots, 

 to which they very frequently return. Their voice is a very 

 feeble squeak, repeated rapidly six or eight tunes 'ee, ee, ee, ee, ee.' 

 They bore numerous and very deep holes in decayed parts, where 

 they retire to sleep early in the evening ; and, though frequently 

 aroused, will freely return. Whatever be the purpose of this 

 enormous noise, they certainly do very nimbly watch, and eagerly 



Eick up the insects they have disturbed by it. They fly in jerks 

 ke their congeners, and always alight on the side of a tree." 



