THE GREEN WOODPECKER 125 



iu the quiet country parks which are thickly studded with 

 old timber, flying in peculiar waving course from tree to tree, 

 uttering its loud notes as it goes. Whether observed in the 

 open or deep down in the silent woods, its actions are much 

 the same. It usually begins its devious wanderings over a 

 tree near the roots, gradually working upwards, exploring 

 many of the larger limbs as well as the knotted, gnarled old 

 trunk as it proceeds, and then flying onwards to the next 

 tree, where precisely the same course is repeated. Where 

 the trees are very close together it does not descend to the 

 ground every time, but flies from one trunk to another. The 

 Green Woodpecker spends by far the greatest part of its time 

 in one constant search for food. Every little chink and 

 crack and knothole is inspected in turn — every bit of faulty 

 bark or decaying wood is carefully sounded. By some strange 

 faculty of perception the bird seems to know where insects 

 or larvae are lurking under the bark or in the rotten wood, 

 and he labours diligently with his chisel-shaped beak, using 

 it almost like a pick-axe, until the prize is reached. When 

 searching the rugged old trunks of the oaks and elms and 

 beeches, his actions are very interesting. He runs from side 

 to side, pauses, creeps forward again, returns, then clings to 

 the under surface of a broad limb, all the time supporting 

 himself with his stiff, pointed tail, which serves the purpose 

 of a third leg. Every now and then you lose sight of him as 

 he runs to the opposite side of the tree ; then you see him 

 peeping at you, as it were, with only his red head visible, 

 and all the time his lusty taps wake the silence of the forest. 

 As he flies onward you cannot help admiring his rich yellow 

 lower back, which shows out very conspicuously when the 

 wings are opened. He searches over a tree in a very short 

 time, but frequently stays to break away the wood and bark 

 which conceal his insect food. 



Of all birds the Woodpeckers are perhaps the least 



