256 WOODPECKERS. 



birds strike off the bark of trees, and lay bare the insidious grubs 

 beneath. 



" All woodpeckers are extremely expert at discovering insects 

 in their lurking-places. No sooner have they alighted, than they 

 stand for a few moments motionless and listening. If no move- 

 ment is heard beneath the bark, the woodpecker gives a smart rap 

 with its bill, and bending its neck sideways, lays its head close to 

 the tree, when the least crawling motion of a beetle, or even of a 

 larva, is instantly discovered, and the bird forthwith removes the 

 bark, and continues to dig until it reaches its prey, when it secures 

 and swallows it. This mode of obtaining food is observed parti- 

 cularly during the winter, when few forest fruits are to be found. 

 Woodpeckers are, however, by no means restricted to insect diet 

 — cherries, peaches, pears, apples, figs, mulberries, and even peas, 

 constitute a considerable part of their nourishment. They likewise 

 suck the eggs of small birds, and thus sometimes commit serious 

 depredations." — Audubon. 



The members of this sub-family are very widely distributed. 

 Some {Picoidcs) inhabit the forests of the northern parts of both 

 hemispheres, preferring those of pines and spruce-firs. The typi- 

 cal woodpeckers {Pic?cs) arc found in most parts of the world, in 

 some countries migrating from the north to the south, and vice 

 versa, according to the season. These frequent forests, woods, and 

 orchards, and climb the trunks and branches of trees with ease 

 and quickness by means of their strong sharp claws and rigid tail. 

 The members of the genus CavipcpJiilus occur in the vast forests 

 and newly-cultivated grounds of the New World and of the Indian 

 Archipelago. The group of woodpeckers named Diyocopus are all 

 American, except one species {Dryocopiis Mart ins) that inhabits 

 the northern and eastern parts of Europe. The Golden Wood- 

 peckers (Chrysocolaptcs) are natives of the dense forests of India 

 and the neighbouring islands ; while others {Dcndrobatcs) are 

 found on the continent of Africa. 



The type of this sub-family is — 



The Greater Spotted Woodpecker [Picus major), delineated above. 



