WHITE-RUMPED WOODPECKER. 143 



Ernest Delaybe. It is included in the birds of Greece, 

 by Count Miihle and Dr. Lindermayer. Mr. Wheel- 

 wright writes me word that it is spread over Scandi- 

 navia, but appears to be more common in the midland 

 districts. "They do not, however, breed with us, but 

 in the thick fir forests of North Wermerland. It breeds 

 also in Gothland, but is a rare winter migrant to Scania. 

 It seems to prefer level tracts to stony rises. It is by 

 no means shy, and often comes in winter about the wood 

 fences round the houses; but in the forest it is generally 

 seen high up on the top of dead trees. In manners 

 and habits it resembles the Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 

 and the cry is much the same. Nilsson says that they 

 are seen generally in families in the autumn and winter. 

 This I cannot corroborate. I never met, in our forest, 

 in winter, more than two together, but if you shot 

 one its partner was never far off. They breed very 

 commonly in Smaland. It has not been identified in 

 Denmark." 



In Germany the Wliite-rumped Woodpecker is both 

 migratory and stationary. In the late autumn or 

 winter it is found in the great forests, and comes 

 thence into the neighbourhood of houses, fruit gar- 

 dens, villages, or even towns, where it dwells very 

 confidingly. 



On the wing it is very like our Greater Spotted 

 Woodpecker, and its voice differs but little from that 

 of any of its allied species. It feeds upon insects 

 found under the bark, maggots, caterpillars, and other 

 larvae. Like the Grey Woodpecker it is also very 

 fond of ants and their eggs. Naumann says that one 

 was shot in Silesia which was supposed to have been 

 killing the bees from the hive, but, as none of these 

 insects were found in the stomach, we may, I think, 



