.140 
L’ICID.E. 
While the unusual ^usit lasted, it was common enough to see 
the Woodpeckers in the open meadows, scattering aside the 
horse-dung with their hills, thus procuring abundant supplies 
of worms and grubs. I once crept very close to one thus 
engaged, and was interested to observe how cleverly it used 
its bill, first striking off large masses, and then dashing them 
into fragments, and scattering the pieces in all directions by 
a rapid and peculiar movement of the head from side to side. 
Telescopic evidence is usually thought to be of somewhat doubt- 
ful value, yet I spent many a happy half hour in observing 
these singular birds by means of a powerful pocket-glass. In 
this manner I could see them climbing the face of a large 
rock or of a rough stone wall, curiously peering into every 
crevice, and occasionally varpng the amusement by a smart 
tap or two upon the unyielding surface of the stone. 
I once saw two upon the ground engaged in desperate com- 
bat, tearing, fluttering, and tumbling about in a most comical 
manner, at the same time uttering a shrill noise, which was 
half scream, half chatter. Upon my approaching a little too 
near they hastily took wing, and were immediately afterwards 
to be seen perched upon the top of a neighbouring rock enjoy- 
ing the warm sunshine, and apparently already in happy forget- 
fulness of their little difference. The longer the birds remained 
in the islands, the more worn their tails and claws became; 
but it was only in a very few instances that any injury to the 
bill could be detected. '\Wien flying, the note of the one old 
bird, as well as that of the young birds, resembled the '‘chuck, 
chuck'' of the fieldfare, though uttered in a more subdued tone. 
Xothing more was seen of the Spotted Woodpeckers until 
the 26th of September 1869, when another flock arrived, and 
again with a steady south-east wind. They were first observed 
in the south of Uust, where several were seen in the garden 
at Belmont by Miss Moaat ; they then spread both northwards 
and southwards, remaining for a few weeks. As far as could 
be ascertained all were birds of the year, but this time there 
were several females among the number. As upon the former 
