Cl. II. MIDDLE SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 321 



of decayed trees, and lays five pure white and 

 glossy eggs." J. L. 



[This bird in Gloucestershire is known by the 

 name of the French Pie. It has a method of 

 obtaining its food, which, with the exception of 

 the following species, is different to others in 

 this country; by putting the point of its bill 

 into a crack or the limb of a large tree, and 

 making a quick tremulous motion with its head, 

 it occasions a sound as if the tree was splitting, 

 which alarms the insects and induces them to 

 quit their recesses ; this, during the spring it 

 repeats in the same spot every minute or two 

 for half an hour, and will then fly to another 

 tree, generally fixing itself near the top, for the 

 same purpose. The noise may be distinctly 

 heard for half a mile. This bird will also keep 

 its head in very quick motion, while moving 

 about the tree for food, jarring the bark, and shak- 

 ing it at the time it is seeking for insects. Ed.] 



Picus medius. P. albo nigroque Gm. Lin. 436. A. Middle, 



varius, crisso pileoque ru- Faun. Suec. sp. 82. 



bris. Lath. Ind. orn. 229. id. Scopoli, No. 54. 



Syn. ii. 565. id. Sup. i. 107. Le Pic varie\ Brisson av. iv. 

 id. Sup. ii. 140. 38. PL Enl. 6ll. 



-LHIS agrees with the preceding in colors 

 and size, excepting that the crown of the head 

 vol. 1. Y 



