AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 263 



111. GREEN WOODPECKER. 



Gecinus viridis. 



This bird, though still common throughout our 

 county, is certainly not so abundant in this immediate 

 neighbourhood as I remember it to have been some 

 thirty years ago. I cannot account for this diminu- 

 tion in its numbers, as this district is eminently 

 adapted to its habits, and it is not persecuted by 

 gamekeepers or any other persons, to our knowledge, 

 but the fact remains that during the months of 

 August, September, and October, when I am generally 

 at home, we seldom see or hear more than two or 

 three Green AVoodpeckers, whereas formerly at the 

 same season of the year we used frequently to meet 

 with a dozen or more in a day's shooting, and their 

 cry was incessantly heard in the close neighbourhood 

 of this house. This Woodpecker is a shy and wary 

 bird, and anyone desirous of closely observing its 

 habits must be very cautious in his movements, and 

 " keep as small " as possible. The flight is performed 

 by a series of undulations with vigorous but easy 

 beats of the wings, the sound of which may be heard 

 at a considerable distance. The examination of a 

 tree for food generally commences near the ground 

 or on the lower side of one of the lower branches, 

 and is carried on by a succession of sudden jerks or 

 jumps, whilst the bird darts its long tongue into 

 every likely hole or crevice in the bark, and if con- 

 scious of being observed, keeps the tree-trunk, or a 

 strong bough, between itself and the observer, peering 

 round every now and then to see if all is right. The 

 AYoodpecker seems seldom to climb a tree for any 



