GREEN WOODPECKER. 



GECINUS VIRIDIS. 



Family PiciD^. Genus Gecinus. 



Rain-bird — Yaffle — Rain-fowl — Wood-spite — Awl-bird — Hew- 

 hole — Popinjay — Pick-a-tree. 



The Green Woodpecker is the commonest as well 

 as the largest of the Woodpeckers. Its haunts, like 

 those of the rest of the family, are the well-wooded 

 districts, forests, and plantations. In many of its 

 habits, too, it differs very little from its relations. It 

 will work its course up a tree, usually starting near 

 the bottom, and moving in a slanting direction, 

 supporting itself now and then with the stiff-pointed 

 tail feathers bent down against the trunk, and will 

 search the trunk and branches most assiduously, 

 darting its long tongue behind the bark into every 

 nook and corner, probing for insects, which adhere to 



