144 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



A favourite trick of the Starlings was to sit on a 

 branch some Httle distance away and " yaffle." This 

 at first always lured the Woodpecker from her hole, and 

 during the week of fighting the Starlings became very 

 proficient in " yaffling," but after a time the Wood- 



Guarding the Entrance. (Photographed by Miss Turner.) 



pecker learnt wisdom and was not deceived. So the 

 fight alternated for a week until I began to fear for the 

 ultimate success of the rightful owners of the nesting 

 site, and even went so far as to harden my heart and 

 consult with the powers that be as to the advisability 

 of shooting the robbers. On one occasion, however, there 



