BIRDS OF PREY 1 63 



feathers. (What is the probable significance of these tufts ?) It devours 

 all kinds of game, attacking even the fawns of roe and red deer ; but its 

 food consists principally of mice, frogs and all kinds of birds. Its finely- 

 pointed claws can even penetrate the prickly skin of the hedgehog. It is 

 the sworn foe of all other birds, for which reason it is used in the rook- 

 shooter's hut as a decoy for birds of prey. 



The Little Owl (Athene noctua) is fond of orchards, but also lives 

 in towers, garrets, and old walls. The plumage is brown on the back, 

 with many white spots ; the under side is white, with brown spots. 

 The apertures of the ear are very small, and the disc correspondingly 

 indistinct (explain why) ; the bird is accordingly less nocturnal in its 

 habits than the barn-owl. Even before sunset it begins to seek food, 

 which consists of insects, small mammals, and birds. Its cry sounds 

 like " coo-ee-meet," which resembles the German komm mit (Anglice, 

 " come along with us ") ; and superstitious people in Germany imagine 

 that the bird is inviting sick people to accompany it to the churchyard, 

 for which reason it is also known in that country as the " funeral " or 

 " death " owl. 



ORDER II. : WOODPECKERS (PICI). 



Beak straight, long, and chisel-shaped. Tongue thin and protrusible. 

 Feet " scansorial " (i.e., adapted for climbing). Young helpless (altrices). 



The Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major). 

 (Length 10 inches.) 



A. Origin of Name. 



This handsome bird derives its name from its multicoloured plumage 

 (head and neck spotted black and white ; back and wings black, with 

 white spots and stripes; belly yellowish-grey, passing into crimson 

 towards the tail; the male with a red spot on the occiput). The 

 designation " great " is to distinguish it from the Lesser Spotted Wood- 

 pecker, which much resembles it in coloration, structure, and mode 

 of life. 



B. An Inhabitant of the Forest, and exclusively Arboreal in Habits. 



i. The Trees provide it with Food. 



This consists of all kinds of insects and insects' larvae which burrow 

 in the bark and wood of trees. It is specially fond of the bark-beetle 

 and its larvae and eggs, and for this reason frequents by preference pine 



