474 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



interscapular feathers, clinging to the top of the virgin cork, tail 

 downwards. 



A female of the common Nuthatch, inhabiting the same 

 cage, displayed some fear of the stranger, but no sooner did he 

 appear to be asleep than Sitta began to tap the cork immediately 

 beneath him ; as he was too tired to be easily roused, she ran up 

 to his side and gave him a sudden dig in the ribs with her long 

 bill. Dcndrocojms awoke with a snap of protest, and his enemy 

 fled precipitately. The Nuthatch was a good deal " put about," 

 because the Woodpecker had seized her favourite roosting-place, 

 but, finding that "might makes right," sbe betook herself 

 sulkily to the highest bough in the cage. 



On July 8th the Woodpecker made a hearty breakfast of 

 pain <in lait; I threw some mealworms on the cage-bottom, but, 

 though he eyed them covetously, he would not descend to pick 

 them up. Finding that he fenced vigorously with a stick, which 

 I was stirring him up with, it occurred to me to split its 

 extremity and to insert a mealworm into the cleft. He seized 

 the first thus pushed to him, but dropped it with a little cry of 

 surprise ; I then offered him six more mealworms, after which 

 he expressed the satisfaction of his "inner man" by tapping 

 vigorously on the bark, not to drive out insects, but purely to 

 express his feelings, just as the Nuthatch beats a "tattoo" if 

 she has swallowed a sumptuous bluebottle. As I write (July 

 8th, 2 p.m.), the Woodpecker is flitting from one strip of cork to 

 another, littering a cry which may be rendered " cack, cack"; 

 from time to time he darts his long tongue into the crevices of 

 cork. He takes a special pride in preening the feathers of the 

 under parts ; the tail and wings are carefully touched up, the 

 latter being often stretched across his feet. Already he is 

 actively stripping the bark off the dome's perch. 



July 9th. It is noticeable that when the Woodpecker wishes 

 to descend, he slides down the cork in jerks, tail downwards, like 

 his wild brethren, in contradistinction to the Nuthatch. Straw- 

 berries pushed to him in the cleft-switch he accepts gratefully ; 

 a moment ago he nearly choked in trying to swallow a large 

 husk, and, now that his shyness is working off, he accepts the 

 fruit and also mealworms from my fingers. 



July 10th. When I came down to breakfast the Woodpecker 

 flew to the side of the cage to meet me, and took six grubs from 



