WOODPECKERS. 



hOULD the woodpecker tell his 

 own story, it would be worth 

 the hearing, and take him a 

 good while to tell it. 

 It would need no patience on our 



part to listen, for no other bird has ways so drolly 



interesting, no, not even the jay or the crow. 

 And he ought to be able to tell a good story, 



with such a tongue as he has in his saucy head. 



Not that he uses his tongue to talk or to sing 



with; but he does stranger things with it. 



If your eyes are sharp, and you are able to 



stand quite still among the oaks, so nobody will 



know you are about, you may chance to catch a 



glimpse of woodpecker's 



tongue. Not that he was 



ever known to "put out 



his tongue" for anybody 



to see, not he ! He 



thrusts it out suddenly, 



and into crevices of bark, 



and cracks anywhere, 



31 



REFERENCE TOPICS. 



Wood-boring Insects. 



Lumber industry. 



Structure and use of 

 woodpeckers' tail- 

 feathers. 



Acorn-storing habits of 

 woodpeckers. 



Who was Audubon ? 



