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evergreen trees, or where there are oaks, aspens, &c, it occurs ; but it is most abundant where no 

 conifers are found, and particularly in oak-woods, or where oaks are mingled with elms, aspens, 

 white beeches, birches, &c, and where there is abundant undergrowth. It affects meadows and 

 pasturages on which are old oaks here and there, and is found in these localities both summer 

 and winter through. Hence it wanders occasionally in autumn into other low growth, visiting 

 the groves in the fields or pollard Avillows, and frequenting poplars or alders in the bushy parts 

 near villages and towns, orchards and gardens. In such places it remains for several weeks at a 

 time ; but during the winter rather prefers the oak-woods. It may be seen on the trees both 

 low down and high up amongst the branches, and even in the very tops, often dropping for a 

 short time on to the ground under the trees. It likewise visits healthy young trees, and hunts 

 over the smaller as well as the larger ones, mounting on the small branches to the very top. It 

 roots in a hole of a tree, at some elevation, sometimes in an old willow, which, if undisturbed, it 

 uses solely as a sleeping-place during the time that it remains in that locality. Late in the dusk 

 of the evening the bird retires to rest, and, like other Woodpeckers, rises early. If there be no 

 suitable hole, it makes one for itself, and may be seen carefully preparing its abode on the lower 

 side of a horizontal branch, the hole being always bored on the underside. These holes are 



often afterwards utilized by Starlings for the purpose of nidification It has a whirring 



flight, dropping with a large wavy dip, like the Great Spotted Woodpecker, when it flies far ; but 

 it is both lighter and swifter than this latter bird, and when on the wing it presents a more 

 slender appearance. Its note closely resembles that of the Great Spotted Woodpecker; but 

 a practised ear can distinguish it from that species, as its kick or kjick is higher in tone, and 

 it seldom or never utters this syllabic sound by itself, or at least not when sitting still. It is 

 always continued quickly, like kick, kick, kick, kick, or a hurried kickickickick &c. Sometimes 

 it sounds like kjack, kjdck, kjdck. In the spring they call continually ; the male then seats itself 

 on the very top of a high tree and repeats the syllable kick a countless number of times so 

 quickly that the finish sounds almost like a chattering. He calls thus to the female, but also 

 seems to challenge other males with a similar note ; for soon after, they may be seen engaged in 

 desperate combat, pursuing each other from tree to tree, and along the branches in close 

 encounter ; but when tired out they rest alongside of each other on the same tree and call 

 lustily. The cry is then a harsh call, quite unlike their former one. In uttering it they raise 

 the feathers on their crown, and after resting in a threatening attitude alongside of each other 

 for a time, they close, and often fall in each other's grasp to the ground, screaming loudly the 

 while. During the breeding-season the females are often pursued closely in a similar manner 

 by the males until they accede to their desire. Like the Great Spotted Woodpecker they make 

 a whirring sound in the spring when seated on a dry bough, which sound is oftenest heard early in 

 the morning during fine clear weather. This Woodpecker feeds chiefly on insects, but also eats 

 some of the seeds of trees, and swallows small stones to assist digestion. It picks out not only 

 the insects which live in the interstices of the bark, but hammers holes and picks off whole pieces 

 of bark to get the larvae of the Sirex, Cerambyx, Bostriclms, Forficida, and others, and feeds also 

 on the perfect insects, particularly small beetles, spiders, and the eggs of various insects, which it 

 picks off the trees, or off the leafy branches. . . . When the hazel-nuts are ripe it breaks them 

 off, fixes them in a suitable crack or fork of a tree, splinters the shell, and eats the kernel. It 



