THE BRITISH LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 45 



Breeding-habits. — Generally found where there is plenty of old 

 timber, especially in river valleys. Breeds at varying heights from 

 a few feet to 60 or 70 ft. from ground, but only boring the nest- 

 hole in very soft and decayed wood. No nest, eggs laid in a circular 

 chamber cut out by bird and approached by an entrance passage. 

 Eggs. — Usually 4 to 6, occasionally 7, while 8 and 9 are said to 

 have been found ; white and glossy, with delicate, rather trans- 

 parent shells. Average of 51 British eggs, 18.5 X 14.2. Max. : 

 21 x 14.5 and 19.2x15.6. Min. : 17x14 and 19.7 X 13.3 mm. 

 Breeding-season. — Earlier than D. major ; generally about 2nd 

 week May, but young. have been found on May 9 and fresh eggs 

 up to end May and mid- June. Incubation. — Apparently by hen 

 alone ; details of period lacking. Single brooded. 



Food. — Chiefly larvse of wood -boring insects ; coleoptera (Scoly- 

 tidse, Hylesinus fraxini and Rhagium) and lepidoptera {Zeuzera 

 cesculi, etc.). Also hymenoptera (ants), larvse of diptera, and spiders. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Resident. Local but common 

 in some places in south England and midlands, becoming extremely 

 local Yorks., very rare Lanes., and only vagrant northwards, though 

 has nested once Cumberland. In eastern Wales fairly distributed, 

 but in west practically unknown, though nested Merioneth 1908. 

 Scotland. — One recorded Dumfries. 1865, and two others said 

 obtained Solway district, said to have bred Renfrew 1904 and other 

 reported occurrences elsewhere extremely doubtful. Ireland. — 

 Six or seven recorded, but none since a very doubtful record in 

 1857 ; no specimen can be traced, and R. J. Ussher placed species 

 in square brackets (List of Irish Birds, 1908). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker of 

 Holland appears to be the same as that of Great Britain. In 

 other parts of Europe, north-west Africa, and north Asia, replaced 

 by allied races. 



[Note. — Numerous supposed occurrences of the Black Woodpecker, 

 Dryocopus m. martins (L.), have been recorded (Yarrell, n, p. 482 ; Saunders, 

 p. 278), but none is sufficiently authenticated to admit of its inclusion. 

 Caged birds are known to have been turned out on one occasion at least. 

 Its distribution abroad is : Europe from Archangel in north Russia and 

 Scandinavia to Cantabrian mountains, Alps and Balkan Peninsula, Caucasus 

 and Siberia to Kamtschatka and Sachalin in the east, and Ussuriland in the 

 south. Replaced by allied form in Kham (south-west Tibet).] 



[Note. — Examples of the American Hairy Woodpecker, Dryobates 

 villosus (L.) or subspecies, are said to have been obtained in Yorks. (Yarrell, 

 ii, p. 485 ; Saunders, p. 276). An example of the American Downy Wood- 

 pecker, Dryobates pvbescens (L.), or one of its forms, is said to have been killed 

 in Dorset in 1836 (Yarrell, n, p. 485 ; Saunders, p. 278), and others have been 

 recorded, but all these, as well as a specimen of the American Golden-winged 

 Woodpecker, Colaptes auratus (L.) or one of its subspecies (Yarrell, ii, p. 486 ; 

 Saunders, p. 278) said to have been shot in Wilts, in 1836, were no doubt 

 due to importation. Donovan's statement in 1809 that an example of the 

 Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus (L.) or subspecies, had been 

 shot in Scotland, is unsubstantiated (Yarrell, n, p. 486 ; Saunders, p. 278).] 



