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On the Greater Spotted Woodpecker.



tivity. This photograph I took in my studio, and the bird is clinging

to a piece of wood placed up against the wall.


The first cage in which I put him he stayed in for just about

one hour; the cage had a wooden back, and he pecked his way out

of it almost immediately. I then got a cage made entirely of zinc

wire, about 2ift. by lift. Occasionally I let him fly about the room,

when he would always make straight for my skirt and climb up on

to my shoulder and ask for meal-worms. In one instance he settled

on the head of a friend who happened to come in, and commenced to

peck his head (probably thinking he had found a new piece of wood!)

Two of his great objections were hats and overcoats, and if anyone

went near him when in out-door clothes he invariably hid himself

behind his log of wood in the cage. Of strangers he was also very

shy, but directly he got used to any person he would sit as close as

he could get to them and utter his small, quiet “chipping” note,

which, being interpreted, meant “ Meal-worms ! ” I once gave him

a companion of his own kind, which he inhospitably killed at once

by pecking the new-comer’s head. He would never tolerate any other

bird or animal. I used to put his cage on a wide window-seat

in which my bull-dog' used to like to sit; this the Woodpecker

resented, and used to peck the dog’s back so viciously that he was

forced to get down. Another animal he disliked was a black Persian

cat, which usually sat on the cover on the top of his cage, and if by

any chance the cat put its paws beyond this cover the bird would

fly at it and peck its feet until it was compelled to beat a hasty

retreat. The Woodpecker, in displaying anger, would loosen all its

feathers, erect its crest, drop its wings, and literally shiver with rage,

keeping its beak open meanwhile.


He was so lazy in keeping himself clean at first that I used

to take him out of his cage, well lather him with a shaving brush

and soap, and thoroughly wash ; but after some time he would bath

frequently, often twice a day. A peculiarity which he had was that

of “ sounding ” any fresh piece of wood which had been put into his

cage, and on finding a hollow-sounding spot would commence to

peck a hole, in which he would place any extra large piece of biscuit

or bread so that he had more power over it in order to break it up.

On several occasions, when the wood had been too new, he broke



