DOWNY WOODPECKER. 
39 
compasses. He is occasionally relieved by the female, both 
parties working with the most indefatigable diligence. The 
direction of the hole, if made in the body of the tree, is gene- 
rally downwards, by an angle of thirty or forty degrees, for the 
distance of six or eight inches, and then straight down for ten 
or twelve more; within roomy, capacious, and as smooth as if 
polished by the cabinet-maker; but the entrance is judiciously 
left just so large as to admit the body of the owner. During 
this labour, they regularly carry out the chips, often strewing 
them at a distance to prevent suspicion. This operation some- 
times occupies the chief part of a week. Before she begins to 
lay, the female often visits the place, passes out and in, examines 
every part, both of the exterior and interior, with great atten- 
tion, as every prudent tenant of a new house ought to do, and 
at length takes complete possession. The eggs are generally six, 
pure white, and laid on the smooth bottom of the cavity. The 
male occasionally supplies the female with food, while she is 
sitting; and about the last week in June, the young are per- 
ceived making their way up the tree, climbing with considerable 
dexterity. All this goes on with great regularity, where no in- 
terruption is met with; but the House Wren, who also builds 
in the hollow of a tree, but who is neither furnished with the 
necessary tools, nor strength for excavating such an apartment 
for himself, allows the Woodpeckers to go on, till he thinks it 
will answer his purpose, then attacks them with violence and 
generally succeeds in driving them off. I saw, some weeks ago, 
a striking example of this, where the Woodpeckers we are now 
describing, after commencing in a cherry-tree, within a few 
yards of the house, and having made considerable progress, 
were turned out by the Wren: the former began again on a 
pear-tree in the garden, fifteen or twenty yards off, whence, 
after digging out a most complete apartment, and one egg being 
laid, they were once more assaulted by the same impertinent 
intruder, and finally forced to abandon the place. 
The principal characteristics of this little bird are diligence, 
familiarity, perseverance, and a strength and energy in the head. 
