59 



is not less common on Saghalien in the non-evergreen woods than on the mainland, and is found 

 both on the coasts and in the interior of the island, whence I have a male from the upper Tymy 

 valley shot in January." 



From Naumann's great work on the birds of Germany we extract the following excellent 

 account of the bird's habits : — " It is more of a resident than a wanderer, and is, for instance, to 

 be found throughout the year in our forests near water, and in other woods but rarely, or only 

 during migration. It appears to prefer the woods on the plains to those on the hills ; at least it 

 never ranges high up into the mountains. It does not inhabit the true conifer growth, and 

 is found there but rarely, and when passing through. On the other hand, it is fond of non- 

 evergreen groves, especially those where old oaks are found ; and it greatly affects such as 

 skirt our rivers and streams, consisting of all sorts of non-evergreen trees (oaks, however, 

 predominating) and thickly covered with underbrush. In the old forests where there is no 

 undergrowth it is seldom found. In the above-named groves it is seen at all seasons of the 

 year; and thence it visits other groves and neighbouring orchards, especially in the autumn 

 and winter. Where oaks, aspens, ash, and other non-evergreen trees are scattered through the 

 conifer growth it is found not uncommonly. It is fond of fruit-trees, and often frequents gardens 

 and orchards which contain old trees during its wanderings, and in winter goes into gardens close 

 to the peasants' houses. It works long on one tree, except on a willow, and therefore seldom 

 remains long amongst the willows. In its winter quarters it has a regular route, which it goes 

 over daily, generally in the same direction, and may, in fact, be seen on the same tree generally 

 about the same time of the day. In a thinly wooded district this route comprehends a large 

 extent of country, but in the forest it is not so. . . . 



" It always roosts in the hole of a tree, which it either finds ready made and makes suitable 

 for its purpose, or else prepares one in the rotten wood of a tree or a dry bough, generally the 

 latter. It is often compelled to drive out Titmice and Tree-Sparrows, which make themselves 

 comfortable in its night quarters and go to roost earlier. It seems at times to give up posses- 

 sion on account of these fights, and to prepare a fresh hole ; and often several new-made holes 

 are found in an oak, one of which is generally afterwards used for nidification, and the others left 

 to other birds. 



" In its habits it most resembles the Middle Spotted Woodpecker ; and its flight is like that 

 of this bird, whirring and, when over any distance, composed of a succession of bow-shaped dips, 

 the wings being closed in the downward dip, extended as it rises again, fluttering and whirring. 

 It does not appear to care for the severe cold, but dislikes it when the trees are covered with 

 hoar frost. Its note resembles the kik or kgiik of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker, but is much 

 lower and softer, and more elongated, and never uttered singly, but repeated several times like 

 kiik, kiik, kiik, kiik, kiik. . . . 



" Like his congeners the male bird utters the whirring sound on a dead branch in the 

 spring ; but it is much softer." 



Another very good account of the habits of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is that given by 

 Mr. Gould in his ' Birds of Great Britain,' from which we extract the following notes : — " The 

 actions of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker are restless in the extreme ; for the bird is constantly 

 fluttering from branch to branch, and from tree to tree. Like the Long-tailed Tit it appears to 



