OBSERVED IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1903. 
129 
the same bird) imitated very accurately the sound of hammers 
striking an anvil. There is a blacksmith’s close to us, where 
doubtless the bird frequently heard the sound.” 
Magpie (Pica rustics ).— I think it is worth recording that in 
January last I saw for the first time within five years a specimen 
of this fine though apparently diminishing bird. The locality was 
between Chorleywood and Chenies. Some of the keepers of my 
acquaintance, however, tell me that the bird is not nearly so rare 
as is generally supposed, though they all do their best to reduce its 
numbers, owing to its fatal fondness for the eggs and young of the 
partridge and pheasant. 
Skylark (Alauda arvensis). — Mr. M. R. Pryor reports the 
unusual experience that there was not an appreciable number of 
immigrant skjdarks in the district during the Winter of 1903-4. 
Green Woodpecker (Gecinus viridis ).—I am indebted to Mr. T. 
Brown, of Symond’s Hyde, Hatfield, for the following interesting 
account of the habits of the green woodpecker in the nesting- 
season. “ In 1902 a pair of green woodpeckers commenced 
making a hole for nesting purposes in an old apple-tree in the 
orchard here, but, after working some time, they gave it up, 
probably finding the work rather hard. They returned to the 
same place in 1903 and continued operations. After working very 
laboriously for a considerable time they got the hole deepened to 
their satisfaction, as they laid eggs in it. The hole when completed 
was carried about 5 inches horizontally and 16 inches in depth. 
The pair took the work of excavating in turns, working about 
a quarter of an hour each, at the end of which time they appeared 
rather exhausted. They must use some signal when about to 
change, because as soon as the one ceased work and left the hole, 
the other was ready to enter, even when it had not been within 
sight of the hole. Frequently, when one was at work, the other 
was about the tree ready to make a dash at any sparrow or starling 
that seemed to think of appropriating the hole. So long as the 
boring was carried on from the outside the birds invariably adopted 
the same position, viz., when pausing the left foot grasped the 
lower edge of the hole, and the other the tree a few inches further 
down. As soon as the pecking was commenced, the right foot 
released its hold and hung dangling in the air. When the hole 
got so deep that the chips could not be dropped outside without 
the birds moving from their position, the chips were placed on the 
horizontal part of the hole, and when a number had accumulated 
there, the bird came up and pushed them out with his bill, quite 
a quantity at each stroke. The chips were not carried away as 
is the case with tits, but were dropped close to the tree. I was 
rather surprised one day to see the length of time a starling, at 
a great disadvantage, kept up an attack on one of the woodpeckers, 
the latter being in the hole with only its head protruding, and the 
starling had to keep hovering on the wing, close to the mouth of 
the hole. When collecting food for their young the parents do 
not carry it in their bills, but in their crops, and just before feeding 
A'OL. XII.—PART III. 
9 
