THE GREEN WOODPECKER. 37 



peckers, and obtains some of its food from anthills and elsewhere 

 on ground, where it progresses by hops. Ascends tree-trunks by 

 jerky leaps. Flight, in which short tail and heavy bill are con- 

 spicuous, rapid and noticeably undulating. 



Breeding-habits.— Usually haunts well-wooded districts, but in 

 search of ants may be met with some distance from trees. Nesting- 

 hole. — Bored in trunk of tree at varying heights, turning downward 

 and widest at bottom. Average breadth of entrance 2f inch. 

 Occasionally an old hole is used again, but nearly always a new 

 one is made annually, as may be seen from chips below entrance. 

 Eggs. — Usually 5 to 7, occasionally 8, pure white and glossy, but 

 sometimes stained with yellow and rich brown by wet acting on 

 wood. Average of 100 eggs, 32.1 x 23.2 mm. Max.: 35.3 X 

 23.3 and 35 X 25. Min. : 27.7 x 20.1. Breeding -season. — From 

 end April onward unless dispossessed by Starlings, as is often the 

 case, when most eggs laid late May. Incubation. — By both sexes, 

 said to last 16-18 days but confirmation required. Single brooded. 



Food. — Chiefly ants of various species and larvae ; also larvae of 

 wood -boring beetles and occasionally orthoptera (Forficula) and 

 larvae of lepidoptera (Sesia cidiciformis, etc.). In one case 50-60 

 millipedes were found in one stomach (T. E. Gunn), and in another 

 case worms. Vegetable matter is also eaten ; oats, acorns, berries 



of Pyracanthus and apples are also recorded. 



• 

 Distribution. — England and Wales. — Resident. Fairly generally 

 distributed but local, rare Lanes., extreme west and north-west 

 Yorks., and Durham, breeds extreme south Northumberland, bred 

 Westmorland 1918, but otherwise only occasional visitor Westmor- 

 land, Cumberland and Northumberland. Has bred Isle of Wight 

 since 1910 and now well established there. Scotland. — Rare 

 vagrant, but bred Loch Lomond 1912. Three Dumfries., one 

 Clyde area, one Roxburgh, one " Forth," several " Tay," and one 

 Orkneys, but most records not entirely satisfactory. Ireland. — 

 Rare vagrant. Three recorded as obtained, one in 1847 and one 

 in 1854, but no specimens exist. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Central Europe, west to Holland, 

 Belgium and France, in Germany east to Pomerania (or west 

 Prussia), west to France, south to Alps (Switzerland), Austria, 

 Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Replaced by larger form in 

 Scandinavia north to about 63° N., north Russia, and east Prussia, 

 and by others in Spain, Italy, Rumania, Balkan Peninsula, Caucasus, 

 Asia Minor, and various parts of Persia. 



Genus DRYOBATES Boie. 



Dryobates Boie, Isis, 1826, n, p. 977 (Monotype ; Picus pubescens L.). 



This genus comprises all the Spotted four-toed Woodpeckers 

 of Europe. Neck is much thinner than in Green Woodpeckers. 



