Great Spotted Woodpecker. 253 



103. GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Picus major). 



All the Woodpeckers are so extremely alike in habits, that the 

 same general description applies to every species ; this is not so 

 common as the last, but is seen occasionally in all wooded 

 districts ; but it so seldom leaves the upper branches of trees, 

 and so seldom makes its presence known by any sound it utters 

 (for it is one of the most silent of birds), that it must very often 

 escape notice. The Rev. A. P. Morres, whose experience agrees 

 with mine, that it is the rarest of the Woodpeckers in this county, 

 says it used to breed regularly in the village of Bodenham, near 

 Salisbury, though it has not been noticed there of late ; but at 

 Hurdcott he reports that their nests were often to be found in 

 the woods. I also hear of it at Wilton, at Wardour, and at 

 Heytesbury. In North Wilts, I have many notices of its 

 occurrence in Draycot Park, at Erchfont, at Erlestoke, at 

 Lacock, at Melksham, at Keevil, in Marlborough Forest on 

 many occasions ; at Potterne, at Roundway Park, at Spj^e Park, 

 where the late Major Spicer picked up one of the remarkable 

 wing feathers and sent it to me for identification. I may per- 

 haps say generally that though certainly rare, it does occasionally 

 come to the notice of most observers. I have found it common 

 enough in Germany. Its general colour is black and white, with 

 a jet black top of the head and red occiput, but young birds 

 have the crown of the head red, and the female has no red on 

 the head. It may at once be distinguished from its congener 

 next to be described by its superior size, measuring from the 

 point of the beak to the tip of the tail over nine inches. In 

 Sussex its provincial name is the ' French Woodpecker ;' else- 

 where it is known as the ' Woodpie,' the ' Great Pied,' and the 

 ' Great Black and White Woodpecker ;' and in Wiltshire as the 

 ' Gray ' and sometimes as the ' Black Woodpecker,' which latter 

 is confusing. In France it is known as Pic Epeiche (ou varit) ; 

 in Germany, Bunt Specht ; in Italy, Picchio vario maggiore ; in 

 Portugal, Pica-pan malhado ; all with the signification of 

 ' Spotted ' or ' Speckled Woodpecker.' In Sweden, however, it is 

 Storre Hackspett, ' Great Woodpecker.' 



