582 
SLENDER-BILLED BIRDS. 
pares for its progeny in some hollow tree, or even in a 
rail of the neighbouring fence. If the orifice to the nest, 
in the dead tree, be too large, the female of the European 
species contracts the entrance with plastic earth and 
mud, like a potter, and this barricade is speedily rebuilt if 
broken down. The eggs, about 5, are of a dull white, 
spotted with brown at the greater end. The male is now 
assiduously attentive to his sitting mate, supplying her 
regularly with food ; on which occasion he affectionately 
calls her from the mouth of her dark and voluntary pris- 
on, where sometimes, in mere sociability, he attempts in 
his rude way to soothe her with his complaisant chatter. 
He is too affectionate to ramble from this favorite spot, 
where he not only accompanies his consort, but, sentinel- 
like, watches and informs her of every threatening dan- 
ger. When the pair are feeding on the trunk of the same 
tree, or near to each other in the same wood, the faithful 
male is heard perpetually calling upon his companion at 
short intervals, as he circumambulates the trunk. His ap- 
proach is announced usually at a distance by his nasal 
quank quanJc , frequently repeated, as in spiral circles 
round the trunk of some tree, he probes, searches, and 
shells off the bark in quest of his lurking prey of spiders, 
ants, insects, and their larvse in general. So tight and 
secure is his hold, that he is known to roost indifferently 
with his head up or down from the tree ; and when 
wounded, while any spark of life remains, his convulsive 
and instinctive grasp is still firmly and obstinately main- 
tained. Sometimes with a sort of complaisant curiosity, 
one of the birds, when there is a pair, will silently de- 
scend nearly to the foot of the tree, where the spectator 
happens to stand, stopping, head downwards, and stretch- 
ing out his neck, as it were to reconnoitre your appear- 
ance and motives ; and after an interval of silence, wheel- 
