A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.
- George Montagu
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![tion, -we have no doubt is used as a call by both sexes to each other. It is curious to observe them try every part of a dead limb till they have discovered the most sonorous, and then the strokes are re- iterated with such velocit3’ that the liend is scarcely perceived to move, the sound of whicdi may be distinctly heard half a mile. Dr. Plot was mistaken when he conceived this noise to be produced by the Nuthatch, who says, in describiii that bird, “ that by putting their bill into a crack in the bough of a tree can make such a violent sound as if it was rending asundei'.” Wood- peckers are commonly seen climbing up a tree, but never down, as some have as- serted. The hole which they make is as perfect a circle as if described by a pair of compasses. For the places of nidification the softer woods are attacked, the elm, ash, and particularly the asp, but rarely the oak. These are only perforated where they have symptoms of decay; and the excavations are frequently deep, to give security to their eggs. This species lays four or five white eggs, weighing about two drams, which are placed on the rotten wood, without any nest. The young birds have the aiipearance of crimson on their beads, but not so bright as in adults. Ants and their eggs are a favourite repast of this species, for which they are frequently seen on the ground searching the emmet- hills. The tongue is here made use of instead of the bill, similar to that of the Wryneck. Its note is harsh, and its man- ner of tiying undulated. Woodpecker, Hairy. — [Newman, Zool. 2980.] Picus villosus, Lin. Syst. i. p. 157, 16 ; Gmel. Syst. i. p. 435; Ind. Orn. i. p.^ 232, 19; [Wilson, Amer. Ornith. i. 159 of Jameson’s Edition ; Flem. Brit. An. p. 92; Jenyns, Man. B. Vert. An. p. 151; Eyton, Cat. Brit. B. p. 00 ; G. B. Gray, Gen. of B. ii. 434 ; lAst of Brit. An. Part iii. Birds, p. 123.] Picus varius virginianus, Bris. iv. p. 48, 17 ; lb. 8vo, ii. p. 54. Pic chevelu de Virginie, Bw/. vii. p. 74. Hairy Wood- pecker, Arct. Zool. ii. No. 104; Lewin, Br. Birds, ii. t. 48 ; Lath. Syn. ii. p. 572, 18 ; lb. Svp. p. 108 ; Wale. Syn. i. t. 47 ; [Pen- nant, Brit. Zool. i. 3ii4.] — This species is rather less than the Spotted Woodpecker ; weight about two ounces; length eight inches and three-quarters. The bill is an inch and a quarter long, of a horn-colour. The head is black ; on each side the head are two white streaks, one over the eye, the other along the lower jaw, both arising from the base of the bill; across the hind part of the head is a red band ; the upper parts of the body are black, divided down the middle of the back with a list of white hair-like featliers; the wings are spotted 38 with white; under parts of the body wholly white; the foiir middle feathers of the tail are black; the next on each side obliquely marked with white at the tip; the last but one white, with the base black; outer one wholly white; legs and claws greyish brown. The female wants the red on the head, in other respects like the male. The Hairy Woodpecker is said to be not uncommon in the North of Eng- land. Dr. Latham mentions having seen a i^air in the collection of the Duchess of Portland, which were shot near Halifax in Yorkshire. It is common in America. Said to be a great destroyer of apple-trees by pecking holes in them. [Colonel Mon- tagu maj' possibly be wrong in stating that “ the Hairy Woodpecker is said to be not uncommon in the North of England.” There is, however, a well-authenticated instance of its occurrence near Whitby early in 1849 : the record is from the pen of Mr. Higgins, and is published at p. 2490 of the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1849, a full descrip- tion, but without a name. Mr. Yarrell and Mr. Bird, both of whom gave the de- scription a most careful examination, pro- nounced the bird to be Picus villosus. In the same journal for 1851 1 cited, at p. 2985, Wilson’s description, and gave a very exact figure of the Whitby specimen, which still remains in the possession of Mr. Hig- gins. It must, however, be admitted that this North-American species has little or no claim to a place in the British list; and although its status differs from that of Picus martius, inasmuch as two specimens exist, yet it is equally difficult to account for ks immigration into the British Isles.] [Woodpecker, Pied.—Bewick’s name for the Great Spotted Woodpecker.] Woodpecker, Greater Spotted.—[Yairell, ii. 153 ; Hewitson, Ixi. 240.] Picus major, Lin. Syst. i. p. 170, 17; Gmel. Syst. i. p. 430; hid. Orn. i. p. 228, 13; Bewick, Br. Birds, i. t. p. 122. Picus varius major, Baii Syn. p. 43, A. 4 ; Will. p. 94, t. 21; Bris. iv. p. 34,13 ; lb. 8vo, ii. j). 51. L’Epeiche, ou Pic varie, Buf. vii. p. 57. Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Br. Zool. i. No. 85; lb. fol. p. 79, t. E.; Arct. Zool. ii. No. 102 ; Will. Anyl. p. 137, t. 21; Albin, i. t. 19; Hayes, Br. Birds, t. 9; Lewin, Br. Birds, t. 47 ; Lath. Syn. ii. p. 504, 12; Svp. p. 107 ; li'alc. Syn. i. t. 48; Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 0.—The weight of this spe- cies is about two ounces and three-quarters; length nine inches. The bill is dusky, an inch and a quarter long; irides reddish brown. The forehead dirty while ; crowu of the head black ; hind ])art of a deep crimson ; the cheeks are white, beneath which is a black line from the lower](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28089935_0415.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
