WOODPECKERS. 47 



undeservedly inquire how, seeing the bill so light and 

 thin, the bird can pierce trees with it ? Which dif- 

 ficulty he thus satisfies, that though it be thin and 

 light, yet is it of a bony substance, and, therefore, 

 not to be wondered at that, dexterously used by 

 the living animal, it should therewith, by many re- 

 peated strokes, pierce a tree, having, perchance, the 

 instinct to choose a rotten one, as we see drops of 

 rain wear holes in flints."* 



Woodpeckers of every species (Picida, VIGORS), 

 probably without exception, are carpenters in the 

 sense in which we have used the term, that is, they 

 not only bore into trees in pursuit of insects for food, 

 but chisel out holes for the purpose of nestling. 

 Being endowed by Providence with admirable or- 

 gans for this purpose, we have a right to infer that 

 they take as much pleasure in the employment of 

 the faculties bestowed upon them as we do in the 

 most agreeable occupations. Buffon, on the other 

 hand, considers such labours a slavish misery to the 

 race of woodpeckers, whom he represents as pe- 

 culiarly wretched examples of the inequality to be 

 found in the distribution of happiness. 



" Animals," says Buffon, " constantly engaged in 

 the pursuit of prey, urged by want and restrained by 

 apprehensions of danger, depend for subsistence on 

 the vigour of their own exertion ; and having scarce- 

 ly time to satisfy their immediate desires, they can 

 have no leisure to cherish the benevolent affections. 

 Such is the solitary condition of all the carnivorous 

 birds, except a few cowardly tribes, which prowl 

 on putrid carrion, and rather combine like robbers 

 than unite as friends. 



" But of all the birds which earn their subsistence 

 by spoil, none leads a life so laborious and so pain- 

 ful as the woodpecker. Nature has condemned it 

 to incessant toil and slavery; while others freely 



* Ornithology, by Ray, 129. 



