214 BIRDS 



the bird tapping vigorously on a branch and thus 

 producing a curious rattling note, called " drum- 

 ming." It is the most silent of the three Wood- 

 peckers mentioned, the shrill, high-pitched " chee, 

 chee, chee," of the Lesser Spotted and the loud, 

 laughter-like notes of the Green Woodpecker 

 being much more frequently heard. It is difficult 

 to locate a Woodpecker in a wood when the 

 drumming noise is made, but a little patience will 

 bring its reward, and it is a rare sight to watch the 

 industrious bird tapping at the bark to waken 

 the insect or grub, and licking it out from its 

 hiding place with its long tongue. 



The Razorbill must certainly be regarded as 

 one of the most interesting of feathered folk, if 

 for no other reason because it is to-day the nearest 

 living relative of the now extinct Great Auk. It 

 is a bird of our coast-line, and has acquired its 

 English name because of the razor-like character 

 of its beak. It is interesting to note that every 

 year numbers of these birds appear to suffer 

 mortality, several of them often being picked up 

 along the seashore. Here is an important point 

 in bird life at home which requires elucidation, 

 and those resident near the haunts of these birds 

 would do well to devote their attention to this 

 curious phenomenon. 



Another species mostly found in the near 

 vicinity of the sea is the Oyster Catcher. It is 



