By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



47 



be confidently expected : hence another name frequently given it 

 of Rain-bird, as Bewick tells us the Romans called it Phivia avis. 

 Lloyd in his Scandinavian adventures says of it, " In Norway this 

 bird is considered better than a barometer : it is supposed not only 

 to predict the coming weather, but that three days beforehand : if 

 its notes are loud and monotonous, fine weather may be expected, 

 but if low, on the contrary rain and storm are at hand; and should 

 it approach the house and cry, something like a regular tempest is 

 to be looked for." Thus we see that both English and Norsemen 

 consider this bird as highly weather wise, though they totally 

 differ in the deductions they draw from the loudness or softness of 

 its scream : possibly we none of us yet quite understand what sen- 

 sations are produced on many members of the animal kingdom by 

 changes in the atmosphere, nor how they indicate such feelings, 

 though that many species are extremely susceptible of such im- 

 pressions, and that too considerably before man can discern any 

 prospect of change in the weather, admits of no doubt or dispute. 



"Great Spotted Woodpecker " (Picas major). All the Wood- 

 peckers are so extremely alike in habits, that the same general 

 description applies to every species : this is not so common as the 

 last, but is seen occasionally in all wooded districts. I have notices 

 before me of its occurrence in Draycot Park, at Urchfont, and at 

 Koundvvay Park, and it has come to the notice of most observers. 

 In colour it is black and white, with a crimson head, and is only 

 to be distinguished from its congener next to be described, by its 

 superior size : it measures from the point of the beak to the tip of 

 the tail, over nine inches. 



"Lesser Spotted Woodpecker" (Picus minor). Not so common 

 but exactly resembling the last, except in point of size, being not 

 quite six inches in length, this species occasionally visits us : it is 

 of a very retiring disposition, and prefers the upper branches of 

 trees to the trunk and more exposed limbs, and creeps out of sight 

 behind some friendly bough the instant it perceives an intruder. 

 From the observations of various authors one would say that 

 Wiltshire was the favourite locality of this bird. Selby says " it 

 is well known in the counties of Gloucester and Wilts." Montagu 



