BARRED oil LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 



PICUS MINOR, Linn. 



Picus minor, Linn. S. N. i. p. 176 (1766) ; Naum. v. p. 334; 



Hemtson, i. p. 241 ; Dresser, v. p. 53. 

 Picus striolatus, Macg. iii. p. 86. 

 Dendrocopus minor, Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. 477. 



Pic epeichette, French; Klein-Specht, German; Picama- 

 dera, Pipo, Spanish. 



This little Woodpecker is tolerably common in almost 

 all the woodland districts of England, but from its small 

 size and habit of frequenting the dead boughs of our 

 tallest trees, often escapes notice, and is considered as a 

 rare bird even in many parts of the country where it is 

 in reality by no means uncommon. In Northampton- 

 shire I consider it as the most abundant of our three 

 species of Woodpecker, and in February and March its 

 " jarring " is as constantly to be heard, in fine weather, 

 as the laugh of the better-known and far more conspi- 

 cuous Green Woodpecker. The nesting-holes of this 

 bird are made in almost any species of tree, and it does 

 not seem to be particular as to the height of its nursery 

 from the ground. The eggs are generally from five to 

 seven in number, of a pure glossy white ; the young 

 birds appear amongst the branches in the neighbour- 

 hood of their home about the middle of June. 



