NOTES ON THE GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 97 



seldom, if ever, heard at all, which I attribute to the fact that the 

 birds were then nesting, and that there was no further need for 

 this method of attracting attention. I was unable to definitely 

 satisfy myself that the tapping is done by the male bird only, but 

 strongly incline to the view that it is so, as I never observed the 

 female make use of this signal. I am not aware how far previous 

 observers have confirmed this theory, and shall be interested to 

 know what others may have to say in reference to it. 



The last day upon which 1 have any note of hearing this tap- 

 ping is May 27th, and, indeed, after that date I failed to make 

 any observations of interest. I cannot say positively whether 

 eggs were laid in the nest or not, for I have a great dislike to 

 disturbing birds in any way ; while, owing to absence from home 

 during June, I was unable to discover whether a family appeared 

 or not. The sequel to my story is, however, of considerable 

 interest. On the night of Monday, Aug. 6th, the tree in which 

 the nest was made was blown to the ground. 



I was fortunate enough to obtain permission to cut a section 

 from the trunk containing the Woodpecker's hole, and, after 

 sawing through the tree in two places, managed to take home the 

 prize. I subsequently reduced this section to a manageable size, 

 and, having done so, cut the trunk through horizontally some 

 four inches below the hole, and now have the nest in two sections. 

 The measurements may be of interest. The opening is three 

 inches from top to bottom, and two inches wide ; the depth of the 

 hole is eight inches, and the measurement from back to front 

 inside five inches. The bottom of the hole is left somewha 

 rough, with small points of wood sticking up, but the entrance 

 is most beautifully smooth and venly worked. The hole is cut 

 through the bark, and the section shows that the wood is sound for 

 an inch and a half, after which the rest of the excavation was in 

 quite rotten wood. There is another hole about two inches above 

 and slightly to the left, which was commenced first, but subsequently 

 abandoned in favour of the completed one. The reason for this 

 is evident, as the face of the unfinished hole is perfectly soft 

 and rotten, and the bark, being gone, it was unsuitable ; whereas 

 the face of the other hole is sound and firm. In this instance 

 there is only one entrance to the nest, and not, as is said to be 

 sometimes the case, two or more. 



ZooL Uh ser. vol. V., March, IVOl. i 



