WOODPECKERS. 35 



out the beak behind it. The beak is strong and 

 hard. It is hammer, and auger, and ax, and 

 wedge. 



A few feet from the window where we are 

 writing is one of those great black walnut trees we 

 have mentioned before. This very minute a 

 woodpecker is hammering away with all his 

 might. His big head bobs up and down as if it 

 were a hammer-head driving a nail into the tree. 

 He is holding on by his toes, and partly bracing 

 himself by the tips of his pointed tail-feathers. 



His toes are not like those of most birds. 

 There are two of them that point forward, and 

 two that point backward, or downward, when he 

 is on the tree-trunk. He has no fear of falling or 

 slipping. He might take a nap in the selfsame 

 position, were -we not going to open the door at 

 this particular moment. 



We go out towards the tree silently and slowly. 

 Woodpecker observes us, and takes a hitch 

 around the trunk in a fashion of his own. He 

 would have us think he has gone away to the 

 woods. We wait! We know his tricks! Now 

 his big round head appears slyly from behind the 

 tree, and he takes a hurried look our way. Now 

 he takes another hitch, and so we follow him 

 quite around the tree. He stops to hammer be- 



