The Green Woodpecker. 415 



Food and Teeatment. — In the natural state, these birds 

 principally feed on insects, and are frequently seen on the 

 ground exploring for ant-hills ; these they sometimes attack 

 with their feet as well as the bill, scattering the earth about 

 similar to a barndoor fowl, devouring, first the ants, and 

 ultimately the eggs, at their leisure ; they show a great 

 partiality for young wasps, and in winter time attack tame 

 laees whenever an opportunity is afforded them. In confine- 

 ment, they should be fed on maggots, ants and their eggs, 

 wasp comb, and cooked meat of any kind, though they 

 prefer the live food. 



Eeaeing the Young. — Take at the age of ten or twelve 

 days, and feed on white bread, scalded, and afterwards soaked 

 in milk, and mixed with ants' eggs ; give mealworms and 

 cooked meat occasionally, when they are fourteen days old, as 

 a change of diet. They will eat the Compound No. 1 (see 

 p. 189), mixed with ants' eggs, after they become reconciled 

 to a state of domestication. They need a bountiful supply 

 of fine gravel, and must be kept scrupulously clean. 



These birds thrive best in an outdoor aviary devoted solely 

 to their use, or they may be kept with the Greater or 

 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, or birds similar in species, such 

 as the Nuthatch and Creeper. 



Distinguishing Maeks of Cock and Hen. — The hen may 

 be distinguished by the absence of red or crimson in the 

 " moustache," or neck marking, and the crimson cap on the 

 head is neither so full nor brilliant in colour as that of the 

 male. The back and wings, too, are paler and duller in the 

 various hues. Young birds do not attain their full colour 

 until after the period of the moult ; the young hens are 

 much greyer on their heads than the opposite sex. 



Song. — In the pairing season, the male bird utters a few 

 peculiar notes, which sound like **Glow, glow," Cluck," and 

 Yaffu, yaffu, yaffle," the latter resembling a shrill laugh. 

 It is a poor attempt at a song, but is evidently intended to 

 serve that purpose. 



Points to be Obseeved in Judging. — Choose a male bird, 

 in good feather, with bright brilliant plumage, a rich crimson 

 cap, and a well-defined and richly-coloured moustache," 

 with distinctly-marked wings and tail, both being well and 

 closely braced, and gracefully carried; the feet and claws 



