Their Eggs and Nests. 139 



indeed the case with all the tribe) is so beautifully- 

 adapted to its mode of life, as to merit a brief notice 

 at our hands. Its strong^ prehensile feet and claws, 

 two toes being directed forward and two backwards, 

 fit it not only for moving in all directions, and with 

 wonderful readiness and ease in any direction what- 

 ever, about the trunk or limbs of a tree, but also for 

 grasping the surface with great tenacity when neces- 

 sity arises for applying its strong bill to penetrating 

 or dislodging either bark or portions of the wood 

 itself. When thus occupied, the tail comes into use, 

 and the bones at the lower extremity of the skeleton 

 are so formed as to enable the stiff, pointed tail- 

 feathers to be applied to the tree in such a way as to 

 strengthen the purchase already obtained by the firm 

 foot-hold. Add to all this the length of the tongue, 

 its great extensibility, specially provided for by a 

 peculiar arrangement of muscles, together with the 

 structure of the tongue itself — remarkable for its 

 sharp, horny tip and barb-like bristles on either side 

 near the point — and we have one of Nature's most 

 beautiful accommodations of means to the intended 

 end which can well be offered to our notice. The 

 undulating flight and laugh-like cry of the Green 

 Woodpecker used to be more common than they seem 

 to be now, and the great multiplicity of provincial 

 names seems to show that once it must have been an 

 exceedingly common bird. I have rarely seen or 

 heard it here : and no wonder. For where once there 

 were miles of forest, now we have scarcely 100 acres 

 of wood in the whole district. This Woodpecker's cry 

 is loudly and frequently uttered before impendiDo* 



