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BIRDS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
Groby. Harley observed that, near Leicester, it affected the elms standing on the 
grounds at Dannett’s Hall and Westcotes, and, near the town of Loughborough, 
was known to haunt the trees at Burleigh Fields ; it was also met with at 
Beaumanor, Croxton, Donington, Garendon, Gopsall, and IMarket Bosworth. He 
remarked that this bird descends trees tail foremost in a spiral manner, performing 
this reversed motion quickly and easily, without jerks. IMr. H. C. Woodcock tells 
me that be shot a bird of this species at Eearsby, about 1850. I saw a male 
specimen in the possession of Joseph (“ Mickey ”) Bent, which he informs me was 
caught at Stretton Hall, somewhere about 1868, by jMr. W. Warren, by means 
of a net placed over the hole in which it had its nest. The late Mr. Widdowson 
informed me that a pair frequented Lord Wilton’s Park throughout the winter of 
1883, but did not remain to breed. It also occurred the same year at Billesdon 
Coplow, so says Potter, the bird-stuffer, of Billesdon. Elkington told me of one 
procured at Woodhouse Eaves in 1883, and I purchased from him a young female 
shot at Humberstone, on 19th Dec., 1885, by IMr. Bright. IMr. Davenport obtained 
a male in Cold Overton Wood in January, 1884. Pinchen reports two about 1886, 
one of them being from Groby. C. Adcock writes me that he saw a pair near 
Wanlip in November, 1887, and remarks that they have a peculiar wa}' of flying and 
running, with wings and tail wide spread, when chasing each other about the trees. 
Mr. A. Langton, of Arnesby, reports that this species is not uncommon in that 
locality. I saw a male specimen in the hands of Pinchen, shot at Bradgate during 
the first week of April, 1888, by Wesley, the head keeper. 
Mr. Macaulay’s note-book (see also ‘ IMid. Nat.,’ 1882, p. 64) records that, in 
1878, a pair built in an orchard at Gumlejq and hatched off on 26th May, but 
that the young were destroyed, and the old bird captured and killed by a boy. 
Mr. Davenport reports it as “ building at Rolleston.” 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire. — Lord Gainsborough has seen it at Exton 
and Burley Ponds ; Mr. J. Montague at Normanton ; and Mr. N. L. Calcraft states 
that “ a few pairs are always to be seen in Rutland, but they do not seem to 
increase.” The Rev. J. B. Reynardson informs me that it haunts the Holywell and 
Pickworth Woods. 
GREEN WOODPECKER. Gecinns viridis (Linmeus). 
“ Rain-bird ” (from its cry being more frequently heard 
before, or during, rain), “ Rind-tabberer ” (or tapper), “Wood-spite” (i.e. wood- 
spit or wood-piercer), “ Yaffle.” 
Resident, and generally distributed. — I have procured specimens from Ansty, 
Bradgate, Cropston, Kibworth, etc., and a young male was shot so near to 
Leicester as Wigston Fields, on 17th Oct., 1887, by Mr. J. Waterfield, who 
presented it to the Museum. 
Mr. Davenport writes: — “I found, on May 13th, 1885, a Green Woodpecker’s 
nest at Keythorpe, in a small hole in a tree not three feet from the ground. On 
