'■S° 



WOODPECKERS. 



FAMILY III. 

 THE WOODPECKERS. TICID/E.^ 



General Characteristics. — Bill generally lengthened, acute, and straight, with 

 the base more or less broad, and the sides much compressed towards the tip, which 

 is usually obtuse. 



The birds of this family have a rather long straight bill, of 

 Avhich the tip is commonly obtuse or truncated, and the sides 

 marked with a longitudinal ridge.* Their feet are organized for 

 running upon the bark of trees, being furnished with long spread- 

 ing toes, armed at the extremity with strong sharp curved claws, 

 which enable them readily to seize any small inequality of the 

 bark ; whilst the tarsus is so placed as to form a sort of sole, which 

 gives the bird great firmness in its usual position. The tail also 

 is of service in climbing ; for this purpose it is rather short, and 

 composed of stiff feathers, pointed at their extremities, which are 

 generally more or less worn away. These birds, especially the 

 more typical species (for some, as we shall see, differ from the 

 rest in their habits), reside in the woods and forests of both 

 hemispheres, principally in the warmer regions. They run with 

 great activity and in every direction upon the trunks and branches 

 of trees, searching for the insects that constitute the greater part 

 of their food, and may be constantly seen tapping the bark with 

 their bills, in order to discover soft or rotten places, such as are 

 usually inhabited by bark-feeding insects. On meeting with a 

 favourable spot, they immediately dig vigorously into the bark, 

 and seize the insects or larvae concealed beneath. The capture 

 of the smaller insects is effected by means of their tongue, which, 

 with its appurtenances, exhibits a very beautiful structure. For 

 the capture of the smaller insects, which abound both under the 

 bark and among the crevices at its surface, the tongue is sharp, 

 pointed, barbed, and endued with a glutinous matter, furnished 

 by large glands situated in the throat, and communicating with 

 the front of the mouth by two long ducts, so that the glutinous 

 coafing is renewed c\-cry time the tongue is drawn within the bill. 

 It has been said by some that the woodpeckers transfix the in- 

 sects that they catch by means of their barbed tongue ; such, 

 however, as far as our observations go, is not the case : the insects 



* .See "Animal Creation," page 332. 



