DOWNY WOODPECKER. 
163 
carry out the chips, often strewing' them at a 
'‘'stance to prevent suspicion. This operation some- 
[-"nes occupies the chief part of a week. Before slie 
'*gins to lay, the female often visits the place, passes 
?«t and in, examines every part both of the exterior and 
'■'terior, with great attention, as every prudent tenant 
a new house ought to do, and at length takes complete 
P<;ssession. The eggs are generally six, pure white, and 
‘"ul on the smooth bottom of the cavity. Tlie male 
'*toasionally supplies the feimile with food while she is 
'*dting; and about the last week in .lime the youinr are 
Perceived making their way up the tree, climbing ”vith 
'Considerable dexterity. All this goes on witir great 
Pognlarity where no interruption is met with; but the 
?onse wren, who also builds in the hollow of a tree, 
^Ot ^rho is neither furnished with the necessary tools 
??'' strength for excavating such an apartment for 
j "bsclt; allows the woodpeckers to go on, till he thinks 
t 'vill answer his purpose, then attacks them with 
,‘olence, and generally succeeds in driving them off. 
Saw some weeks ago a striking example of this, 
Oere the woodpeckers we are now describing, after 
v'''nnieucing in a cherry-tree within a tew yards of the 
j^bse, and having made considerable progress, were 
- ''"cd out by the wren; the former beg-au again on a 
''"'-tree in the garden, fifteen or twenty yards off 
^ '®"ee, after digging out a most complete apartment, 
111-'* being laid, they were once more assaulted 
the same impertinent intruder, and finally forced to 
'"'don the place 
.111 - - 
^:|.*he principal characteristics of this little bird are 
e 'fh'uce, familiarity, perseverance, and a s 
**'t?y in the head and muscles of the neck, which are 
strength and 
Hg . "’'tonishing. 
Mounted on the infected branch of 
fy !?ld apple-tree, where insects have lodged their cor- 
Ou"'’ destructive brood in crevices between the 
'be . labours sometimes for half an hour 
ifi^^l'^bantly at the same spot, before he has succeeded in 
^^'"'ging and destroying them. At these times you 
y "'alk up pretty close to the tree, and even stand 
