THE GREEN WOODPECKER. 125 



its food, and were it not for tlie wonderful adaptation of 

 its structure, the bird would frequently be compelled to 

 leave a dainty morsel, iii the shape of a fat grub, un- 

 molested within its burrow. 



Whilst staying at a farm in Hampshire during last Sep- 

 tember, I heard of a practical use to which the dried tongue 

 of the woodpecker was sometimes put ; namely, for removing 

 from the throat of young chicken the small worms which 

 cause the disease known as " gapes." I think you will 

 agree with me that no better instrument could possibly 

 be devised for accomplishing a purpose so analogous to that 

 for which it w^as created. We may be thankful, however, 

 that there are simpler and more successful ways of curing 

 " gapes " than by adopting instrumental measures, as the 

 latter might give another excuse for depriving the wood- 

 pecker of its joyful existence. 



We will now briefly consider a few other characteristic 

 features in the structure of this interesting bird. 



The breast hone deserves notice on account of the shallow- 

 ness of its keel ; so that the bird can keep its body in close 

 proximity with the trunk of a tree, which position is neces- 

 sary in climbing. 



The feet are large in size, and are of the zj^godactyl, or 

 yoke-toed modification, i.e.^ having two toes projecting for- 

 wards and two backwards. It was considered at one time 

 that this was a typical climbing foot, but it cannot be so 

 regarded now, since the same type^ is found in the cuckoo, 

 which does not climb ; whilst the nuthatch and tree-creeper, 

 most expert climbers, possess the ordinary passerine foot. 

 But, however this may be, the bird climbs remarkably well, 

 and it is possible that the yoke-toed arrangement gives it 

 a firmer grasp, when clinging to one spot for a length of 

 time, as when occupied in commencing its nesting burrow. 



K 



