History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

Picus. BIRDS. SCAN SORES. 91to Barrington, it is stated, that k ' The Bev. J\Ir Stafford was walking inGlossopdale, in the Peak of Derbyshire, and saw a cuckoo rise from its nest,which Avas on the stump of a tree, that had been some time felled, so as muchto resemble the colour of the bird. In this nest were two young cuckoos,one of which he fastened to the ground, by means of a peg and line, andvery frequently, for many days, beheld the old cuckoo feed there her youngones.'"— Phil. Trans. 1772, 299. The egg, which varies in colour and markings,is deposited in the nest of the dupe dame, after she has laid one or twoeggs. When the young cuckoo is hatched, it becomes restless, and ceasesnot until it has ejected from the nest the eggs or young of its foster-parent.It is fed by the dupe with maternal care, until able to provide for itself.(See Jenner, Phil. Trans. 1788, p. 219.) When in a young state, the iridesare liver-brown, the plumage brown with dark spots ;the feathers on theforehead margined with white ; beneath, yellowish-white, with transverseblack bars. In this state, or before acquiring the plumage of maturity, ithas been termed Cuculus hepalicus.— The food of the cuckoo consists of insects,especially caterpillars, both smooth and hairy. It arrives in April. The oldones depart in the beginning of July, and the young, hatched at or beforethat period, seem to leave us in succession.Gen. LVI. PICUS. Woodpecker.— Bill long, straight,angular and compressed ; nostrils covered by deflectedbristles ;the first quill short ; the tail-feathers stiff ^andpointed.12£. P. viridis. Green Woodpecker.— Plumage, above,green ; beneath, grey ; the crown red.Will. Orn. 93. Sibb. Scot. 15. Linn. Syst.i. 175. Penm Brit. Zool. i.240. Temm. Orn. i. 391— E, Itain-fowl, High-hoo, Hew-hole, Awlbird,Yappingall, Yaffer, Popinjay ; IV, Cnocell y coed, Delor y drew ;G, Lasair choille—In wooded districts.Length 13|, breadth 21^ inches; weight 7 ounces. Bill black; iridesgrey feet ; greenish. Feathers at the base of the bill, and around the evesblack. Lower part of the back and rump gamboge-yellow. Quills 19, barredwith dusky black and yellowish-grey. Tail-feathers 10, with green andbrown bars. Female, with less red on the head and round the eyes,and the mustaches (which in the male are red) are black.— Nest in the hoiesof trees.Eggs 5, bluish-white. Young with little red on the head, theplumage inclining to grey, with spots of that colour on the back. The mustachesare spotted with black and white.123. P. major. Greater spotted Woodpecker.— Plumage,above, black ,-scapulars, and beneath, white.Will. Orn. 94. Linn. Syst.i. 176. Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 243. Temm.Orn. i. 395— E, Whitwall ; IV, Delor fraith—In wooded districts.Length 9i, breadth 12 inches; weight 3 ounces. Bill black ; irides red;feet dark grey. Front grey, crown black, the nape crimson. Cheeks andear-covers white. A black stripe from the gape to the nape, with a branchdescending on the neck. A white patch on each side of the hind neck. Quills20, black, with white spots. Tail-feathers 10, the four middle ones black, therest white with black spots. Vent crimson. The female wants the red onthe nape.— Nest, a hole in a decayed tree. Eggs 5, bluish-white. The younghave the front grey, the crown red, and the nape black the ; plumage abovewith a brownish tinge, and beneath with black dots. In this state it is the