Picus minor, LINNÆUS; Le Petit Epeiche, BUFFON; Der Kleiner
Buntspecht, BECHSTEIN.
This bird is the size of a lark, five inches and a half in length, two
of which are included in the tail, and the beak measures seven lines.
The feet are of a greenish black; the rump is white; the top of the head
crimson; the nape of the neck black; the back white, with transverse
streaks of black; the under part of the body is of a reddish white grey,
and the sides are streaked with black.
The female had no red on the head.
HABITATION AND FOOD.--This rare species inhabits forests of beech and
oak, skilfully catching the insects under the bark and moss of these
trees; it even flies to the ground to seek the same food among the
grass. While rearing the young ones, they must be kept in a cage.