worm, the ants come out to fettle on in great numbers: the bird with- 

 draws its tongue at a jerk, and devours the devourers. 



The woodpecker choofes, hov/ever, for its neft, trees that, are decayed, 

 or wood that is foft. In thefe, it makes deep holes exactly round, but 

 often makes twenty before one is found to give fatisfadion. Of thofe it 

 deferts, other birds, not fo good borers,' and lefs delicate, take pofief- 

 fion ; the jay and the darling often, and fometimes bars. Its eggs 

 are depofited in the hole, without any thing to keep them warm, except 

 the heat of the parent's body. Their number is generally five or fix ; 

 white, oblong, and of a middle fize. When the young are excluded, 

 and before they leave the neft, they are adorned with a fcarlet plumage 

 under the throat, which adds to their beauty. 



THE CREEPERS 



» 



AR E a numerous family, fpread in various parts of the world, 

 which creep along the trees, upwards or downwardsj and along 

 the branches, over them or under them ; they alfo run very nimbly along 

 beams, &c. in houfes. Many of them refemble the tiilarks j others the 

 colibris, by their beautiful plumage. They live intirely on infeds, but 

 are unable to bore for their prey as the woodpecker does; they follow, 

 therefore, thofe who are able to pierce the wood, and take the prey they 

 meant for themfelves j or are content with fuch infeds as wander from 

 their retreats, which, in the warmer climates cfpecially, are not a few. 



The creeper is about the fize of a wren, extremely adive and 

 mobile s inhabits the hole of a tree, whence he iffues to ftrike the in- 

 feds of the bark and mofs. Here fhe breeds ; lays five to feven eggs. 



The Wallcreeper inhabits walls j there lodges, creeps, and lays. 

 Inhabits rocks alfo, and church-yards; flies, ants, and efpecially fpiders, 

 are their food. 



At the Cape of Good Hope, the Dutch maintain many of the creeper 

 kind, by giving them fugared water: the flies, &c. (which are the 

 plague of the inhabitants) fupply the reft; they die if fed on any other 

 food than infeds. 



THE 



