[Illustration: USEFUL. THE GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER.] THE GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. (_Dendrocopus major._) This also is a busy hammering bird, which flies energetically about the woods and gardens, climbing up the trees from the bottom, closely examining the bark and wood for grubs and bark-beetles, and extracting them with its long pointed tongue. When opportunity offers, it also attacks oily seeds, such as those of the sunflower and berries; but this must not be counted as harmful. By its whole nature, and its peculiar work it belongs decidedly to the most useful of birds. There is a widely spread belief and suspicion among the country people that this Woodpecker spoils the healthy trees, but its beak cannot avail beyond a certain degree of hardness; it can only pierce holes where the wood is softened by rot, and therefore harbours timber grubs. The fine wood-dust under the trees where the Woodpecker has been at work calls the attention of the good gardener to the bad state of the tree, and he can then take steps to arrest the mischief if not too late. The Spotted Woodpecker can conceal itself very quickly. When it sees a human being it clambers up the opposite side of the tree trunk. In autumn it roams about with swarms of other tree-cleansing birds. In spring it makes a loud drumming noise among the dry branches. It is fairly common in Hungary, but is less so in Great Britain, although pretty well distributed in the wooded portions of England. In Scotland generally it is rare, but southwards from the Shetlands, down to the east coast, it occurs at times on migratory flight. * * * * * THISis a black, white, and fiery-red speckled bird, length over nine inches. The black lores extend like a bridle to the neck. Back and rump black. In the male the back part of the head is red, in the female black; in both the lower part a burning red. The sides of the underparts dingy white; on the shoulder a white spot; on the flight feathers white, cross flecks. Tail strong, the middle feathers pointed and stiff, suitable for climbing. Beak relatively short, but strong at the base, pointed like a chisel. It bores its nesting hole in trees about half way up, the entrance being round and only just large enough for the bird to go in and out. It lays four eggs, occasionally six, of a dazzling snow white, with delicate shells. THE TREE CREEPER. (_Certhia familiaris._)