but insect-remains. They appear to be particularly fond of ants, and in the winter often make 

 holes in the large ant-hills which are to be seen everywhere in the forests of Scandinavia, and 

 feast on the inhabitants. They never attack any but a rotten tree, or one which the insects have 

 begun to destroy, and are thus most useful and harmless birds. 



The nest-hole is generally bored in a large fir or aspen tree deep in the forests ; but Dresser 

 found the nest once in a huge aspen close to a much-frequented spring, again in a large pine 

 tree overhanging a forest-road, and a third time in an old aspen not above a gun-shot from a 

 house ; but in the last-named instance the birds were never disturbed or shot at, and had therefore 

 become comparatively fearless. The nest-hole is generally deep, and is formed by the bird itself; 

 the eggs, generally four in number, are pure white, very glossy, and measure from 1 ^ inch in 

 length by 1 inch in width to 1-^- by 1-^q. In shape, judging from a series of eggs now before us 

 out of Dresser's collection, collected in Germany, Finland, and Sweden, they are generally rather 

 pointed towards the smaller end, although one is equally pointed towards each end, and another 

 is pure oval. 



One of the best descriptions of the nesting of this bird in Scandinavia is from the pen of 

 Mr. W. H. Hudleston ; and we therefore give it in full. 



" In the districts south of the Great Lakes, especially towards the Baltic, the forests, though 

 not so extensive as in the central and northern parts of the peninsula, still cover vast areas of the 

 level surfaces, the remainder being largely occupied by lakes and morasses. Cultivation has not 

 made much progress here ; and as the sale of timber is most profitable to the proprietors, few but 

 the woodcutter ever invade these regions. In the vicinity of settlements, or wherever there is 

 facility of carriage, the trees are of second growth, and stand in blocks of various ages, divided 

 by lanes often of great length and regularity. There are, however, districts little touched by the 

 axe, which are more exclusively delivered over to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field ; 

 here the Wolf and the Glutton, not to mention Foxes in abundance, still dwell in snug lairs 

 amongst the huge granite boulders that are matted over with a covering of heather, cranberry, 

 and similar plants — quiet, gloomy spots, seldom reached by the sun, where the fir and the pine, 

 the beech and black poplar, of all ages and sizes, are mingled in rank confusion. The mouldering 

 remnants of past generations of trees lie prostrate on the ground, or lean for support against 

 their more vigorous neighbours, thus forming a tangled mass by no means easy for man to 

 penetrate, though much beloved by many of the Woodpeckers. Picus viridis is not to be found 

 in such a locality ; the old oaks in the open parts are more suited to his taste, where he may be 

 seen in company with the Roller and the Hoopoe, the Jackdaw and Starling, the Creeper and 

 Nuthatch. But for P. martins and P. major such a place as I have attempted to describe is 

 admirably adapted, both on account of the abundance of soft and decaying timber, and likewise 

 because there is little fear of molestation from mankind, in most countries the worst enemies of 

 birds. No other of the five remaining Scandinavian Woodpeckers fell under my observation in 

 the south of Sweden, though in a country so well suited for the Picidse it is to be expected that 

 most of them occur, with the exception, perhaps, of P. tridactylus, which is a more northern 

 species. 



" Towards the latter end of May 1856, 1 happened to be staying with a Dane, the overlooker 

 of a large forest belonging to Count L , having been introduced to him by my companion, 



