BIRDS' NESTS. 59 



The Great Spotted Woodpecker, Picus major, 

 resembles the preceding in habits, and its eggs, 

 which are also white, and about five in number, 

 are an inch long. The female bird exhibits 

 great attachment to her eggs. Montagu men- 

 tions an instance where, "notwithstanding 

 a chisel and mallet were used to enlarge the 

 hole, the female did not attempt to fly out 

 till the hand was introduced, when she quitted 

 the tree at another opening. The eggs were 

 deposited two feet below the opening, on the 

 decayed wood, without the smallest appear- 

 ance of a nest." 



The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Picus 

 minor, also lays its eggs in a hole in a tree, 

 choosing one which has a small opening, evi- 

 dently for the sake of security. The number 

 of its eggs is generally five, and they are about 

 three-quarters of an inch in length, very smooth, 

 and of so delicate a structure that, though of 

 a pure white when blown, they are of a light 

 flesh-colour before the yolk is removed. 



