142 BRITISH BIRDS. 



home. The dispute raged continuously till May 14th, 

 when I settled it by putting up a nesting-box for the 

 Starlings ; this they immediately annexed, and ultimately 

 both pairs brought off their respective broods in safety 

 and comparative peace. 



During the campaign I saw much that was both 

 interesting and amusing in the tactics employed by the 

 opponents. While the Woodpeckers were undoubtedly 

 the more powerful birds, the determination, readiness of 

 wit and general finesse of the active and irrepressible 

 Starlings commanded my respect. 



The following is an account of what happened on May 

 9th between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. and is typical of all the 

 after days of warfare, during which, however, I only 

 watched at odd times for two or three hours at a stretch. 



When I arrived on the scene the Woodpeckers 

 flew away, being shy and easily alarmed, but soon 

 returned when I hid myself. The moment the Starlings 

 were left to themselves they carried into the hole every 

 available bit of twig and rubbish they could seize, 

 working together with a feverish energy that made me 

 feel tired, so that in five minutes they seemed to have 

 collected ample material for several nests ! By-and-by, 

 however, a Woodpecker would return, then one Starling 

 carried on the fight while the other, when possible, 

 continued the nest building with more or less success ; 

 sometimes holding the entrance of the citadel while its 

 rightful owner clung to the outside [see page 144), looking 

 in and out and all around but not always daring to take 

 possession. For although undoubtedly the stronger, 

 and able to hold her own when once inside the tree, the 

 Woodpecker seemed unable to cope with her smaller and 

 more active opponents at close quarters. If she 

 ventured inside when either or both Starlings were in 

 possession a desperate scuffle could be heard which 

 generally ended in the defeat and ejection of the W^ood- 

 pecker, but not always. On one occasion I saw the 

 Woodpecker seize a Starling by the beak and drag it 



