LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 185 



running with great nimbleness over the bark, and 

 occasionally pausing to ferret out insects from every 

 crack and crevice. It will also work head downwards 

 with equal ease. It roosts in holes of trees at night. 



In addition to its ordinary cry, which is a sort of 

 " keek " uttered several times quickly in succession, a 

 loud whirring sound may often be heard, caused by 

 the bird tapping very rapidly with its beak on the 

 branches. " This peculiar noise," says Seebohm, 

 " appears to be a call or signal between the sexes, and 

 is most often heard during the breeding season." 



The food of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is the 

 same as that of the preceding bird, but it does not 

 seem to eat fruit or berries. 



In appearance this bird is very similar to the Great 

 Spotted Woodpecker, but is of course much smaller. 

 The chief point of difference is the entire absence of 

 scarlet on the under parts. 



The eggs are laid in a hole of a tree, usually made 

 by the bird itself, but sometimes a borrowed hole is 

 made use of. When made by the bird, the hole is 

 perfectly round and extends sometimes to a foot in 

 depth, widening out as it proceeds. It makes choice 

 of no particular tree, nor is the hole bored at any fixed 

 height from the ground. No nest is built, but as with 

 the Great Spotted Woodpecker the eggs are laid on 

 the decayed chips and wood-dust that have been left 

 at the bottom of the hole. 



The eggs are five to eight in number, white with 

 a beautiful pink tint before they are blown, which is 

 the case with so many of the white eggs, and highly 

 polished. They are extremely difficult to distinguish 

 from eggs of the Wryneck, but are as a rule smaller 

 and more polished. 



