INSESSOEES. 105 



the late Mr. Black, of Miiswell Hill, formerly known 

 as The Grove, and now the Alexandra Park; and 

 that he has observed it between Muswell Hill and 

 Highgate, and in the Churchyard at Fryern Barnet. 

 The food of the Woodpecker consists exclusively 

 of insects, and, judging from my own observations, 

 and from the stomachs of several which I have 

 examined, a i^reference is given to ants and their 

 larvae. One day in August I had an opportunity of 

 watching a Green Woodpecker very closely, while at 

 work on an ant-hill. In a small field by the side of 

 a wood, where there were numerous ant-hills, I sud- 

 denly surprised a pair of these birds. One of them, 

 seeing me approach, flew into the wood, while the 

 other continued feeding. Quietly adjusting my glass 

 to the proper focus, I w^as enabled to watch every 

 movement of the handsome bii'd. Breaking open 

 the top of the ant-hill with his bill, and scattering 

 with it the mould in all directions, he darted out a 

 wonderfully long tongue, and drew in with it numbers 

 of ants. This was repeated as long as I watched 

 him, until two labourers, inopportunely coming by, 

 frightened him back to the wood. I could not detect 

 him making use of his feet to scrape away the earth ; 

 this was always removed wdth the bill. 



An instance of the wonderful and rapid way in 

 which the Woodpecker can cut out a hole in a tree 

 has lately come under my notice. A young col- 

 lector, who was anxious to obtain some eggs of this 



