SCANSORES. 385 



plumage of rich hue above; the under parts light saffron. It is 

 thirty-nine inches long, including the tail, which measures 

 twenty-four. (7) The LORIES, Lorius, are a group found in 

 the Moluccas and the Eastern Islands, remarkable for the very 

 rich and mellow hues of their plumage ; blending scarlet with 

 green, violet-purple, violet-blue, and orange-yellow. They 

 are lively and active, and of an affectionate disposition, and show 

 great docility in the articulation of words and sentences. The 

 beak of these birds is lengthened, and comparatively feeble ; the 

 tail rounded, or graduated. They feed upon the juice of flowers 

 or the pulp of the softest fruits. 



THIRD FAMILY. WOODPECKERS 

 Picidce, (Lat. picus, a woodpecker.) 



These birds are, in their whole organization, adapted to climb 

 ing, and eminently entitled to be called Scansores. 



The feet are short, but very strong ; the toes are placed in pairs, 

 two pointing forward and two backward, (Plate X. fig. 23;) the 

 claws are large, much curved, and very hard and sharp, ena 

 bling the bird to cling firmly, and creep on trees in all directions. 

 The tail-feathers terminate in points, and are uncommonly hard, 

 so that, being pressed against the bark, they assist the bird in its 

 progress, or in keeping its position. The bill, destined for the 

 laborious operation of penetrating the wood, or stripping off the 

 bark of forest-trees, is beautifully adapted for the purpose, being 

 wedge-shaped, and in one species, (Picus principalis,) nearly of 

 the color and consistency of ivory, whence it has been termed the 

 IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. This bird obtains its food, consisting 

 of the larvse of wood-boring insects, by chiseling away the bark 

 and surrounding wood, until the subtle grub is exposed. The head 

 then acts as a hammer, of which the beak is the face or point, 

 and the curved neck the handle, and being moved by muscles 

 of great energy, the sharp and wedge-like beak-tip is propelled 

 against the tree in a succession of strokes given with remarkable 

 force and activity. 



To help in this work of chiseling out its grub- worm food, the 

 Woodpecker also has a worm-like tongue, barbed at the point, 

 and capable of being protruded to a great length ; for which 

 purpose there is a peculiar structure and arrangement in the 

 muscles at the base of the tongue. By means of its protruding 

 tongue, this bird transfixes the insects which it dislodges from 

 their hiding places with its powerful bill. Added to this, there 

 is on each side of the head, a very large gland which secretes a 



