WOODPECKERS. 33 



and little holes, for any dainty morsel of an insect 

 which may be hiding. 



The bird will hardly give you time to notice 

 that the very tip of his tongue is barbed like an 

 arrow, or the spines of a cactus. These barbs are 

 placed on the tip of the woodpecker's tongue on 

 purpose to hold onto things with. 



It is very interesting to watch the woodpecker 

 among the trees in quiet places, poking about 

 with his tongue in the haunts of the beetle folk 

 that would only be too glad to get out of his 

 reach. And they would get away in a hurry, 

 many a time, were it not for the barbs on the 

 rascal's tongue. These barbs seize right hold of 

 an insect and draw it out of its snug quarters. 

 You see, the barbs slant backwards towards the 

 throat of the bird, and so they brush whatever is 

 in their way straight into the open beak of the 

 woodpecker. 



Should you say to the woodpecker, " Let me see 

 your tongue, if you please,, sir," and the bird 

 should put it out, you would notice that it pro- 

 jects as far beyond the tip of the beak as the 

 length of the beak itself; and you would wonder 

 what he does with it when he is done putting it 

 out. 



If by any chance you should come upon a dead 



W. S. E. VOL. 9 3 



