Birds. 7479 



poplar, in a hole which is frequently made by the bird itself, and is 

 generally very round and of great depth. 



Materials. None, except the particles of wood chipped off by the 

 birds in the process of boring. 



Eggs, 3, 4. White, with a slight tinge of blue. Mr. Newton 

 (Zool. 2229) mentions eggs of the green woodpecker " spotted and 

 blotched with reddish brown and tawny yellow." " These markings 

 must have been accidental stains, as the eggs of the whole genus are 

 white." — Mr. Douhleday. 



Spotted Woodpecker, Picus major. 



Situation. In the trunk of a tree : the bird invariably plasters up 

 with clay the hole in the tree in which the nest is built, only leaving 

 a round hole just large enough to permit the passing of the bird. 



Materials. The particles of wood chipped off by the bird. 



Eggs, 4, 5, White, beautifully and delicately tinged with blue. 



Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Picus minor. 



Situation. A hole in the trunk of a tree, so small at the entrance 

 that a larger bird cannot enter ; chiefly in Herefordshire, Worcester- 

 shire and Gloucestershire. 



Materials. Comminuted decayed wood. 



Eggs, 5 — 7. White, tinged with pink. 



Wryneck, Ytmx torquilla. 



Situation. Holes in the trunks of trees ; the hole sometimes lined 

 with moss and feathers. 



Materials. Comminuted decayed wood. 



Eggs, 5 — 7. Pure white. 



Creeper, Certhia familiaris. 



Situation. The hole of a tree. 



Materials. Fine hay : Mr. Selby says also the inner bark of trees. 



Eggs, 6. White, speckled with red-brown. 



Wren, Troglodytes europccus. 



Situation. Under the thatch of stables, outhouses, summer- 

 houses, on the face of rocks, either exposed or clothed with ivy, on 

 the ivy-clothed trunks of trees : the nest is completely domed, and 

 has a small entrance-hole near the top. This little bird has credit for 

 building a number of supplementary nests, for no other purpose except 

 to roost in : it is certain a great many more nests are built than are 

 required for purposes of incubation: such supplementary nests are 

 always without lining, and are commonly called " cock's nests," and 

 Mr. Duncan asserts (Zool. 382) that they are built by the male 

 birds. 



