81 



rently become disheartened in her work, and abandoned it. When I first discovered it, it had 

 not been long deserted ; for I took the trouble to climb np and carefully examine it, measuring 

 the depth with my stick, and ascertaining by the sound that the wood at the bottom was free 

 from decay. I could not help wondering how the bird, in a hole not larger than the diameter of 

 its own body, could find room to give those violent strokes with its bill which would be necessary 

 to penetrate the solid oak." 



The following excellent note on the Green Woodpecker is given by Macgillivray in his 

 ' History of British Birds ' : — 



"Mr. Harley, of Leicester, has favoured me with the following characteristic account of its 

 habits, as observed in his neighbourhood : — ' The ornithologist desirous of becoming acquainted 

 with the habits of the Green Woodpecker in this country, must repair to the hedgerow tree, the 

 elm, the decayed ash, and the ranpikes of the solitary forest oak, and not to the verdant shades 

 of Grooby or Newtown, or the more impenetrable woods of Sheet Hedges. It sometimes 

 approaches the habitations of man, and I have seen it within a few yards of the buildings of our 

 populous town. On the 16th of April, 1834, at five o'clock in the morning, I had a good view 

 of a pair of these birds, as they were at work on an ant-hillock at the foot of some lofty elms. 

 I remarked the loud sonorous note of the male to proceed from him equally when on the hillock 

 and when on the hole of the tree, to which both he and his partner always resorted when the least 

 danger was apparent or any unusual noise was made. The elm is the most common tree within 

 a few miles round Leicester ; and on its bark the Green Woodpecker appears happy and at home. 

 Its flight is undulating ; but the last undulation, before the bird alights on the hole of the tree, is 

 much longer than the first. I have never seen it descend the tree after the manner of the 

 Nuthatch, nor have I reason to think it ever does so. Some authors, in their history of this 

 bird, speak of its carrying away the chips from the foot of the tree in which it has been preparing 

 a place for its offspring ; but, although such may be the case, I have never, after a very minute 

 search, seen either male or female removing the chips, which, on the contrary, I have always 

 found in profusion near their holes. This bird never uses masonry, as the Nuthatch does, at the 

 mouth of the holes which it chooses for nidification. I have never found any appearance of nest, 

 excepting the decayed wood, on which were laid from five to seven delicate and beautiful 

 white eggs. 



" ' I am not aware of any seasonable difference in the note of the male, save and except in the 

 vernal months, when he is more clamorous, and much more frequently repeats his shout. The 

 loud laugh the plwi-plui-plui is the same, not varying in cadence, throughout the spring, and 

 perhaps the summer months. I never saw it scratch when on the ground, even on the most 

 sandy soils ; but I have repeatedly noticed it thrust its powerful beak into the ant-hillocks, after 

 the manner of the Book, and most probably to obtain the eggs as well as the perfect ants. This 

 habit of the bird will account for its bill being often found covered with earthy and miry 

 substances.' " 



Mr. Keulemans writes, " I have often seen this bird in the public parks near the towns in 

 Holland, feeding on ants and their chrysalides, which are found at the roots of the trees. I once 

 came upon one engaged in picking up ants so ravenously that it scarcely observed my approach, 

 and, to judge from the quick motions of the bird, it must have devoured at least a hundred 



