306 SCANSORES. 



glutinous substance ; this gland being compressed by the mus- 

 cular action which protrudes the tongue, the viscid matter is 

 poured out upon the sides of the tongue as it is thrust forth, and 

 this is sufficiently adhesive to attach to itself small insects, such 

 as ants, small grubs, beetles, &c., which are rapidly drawn in 

 and swallowed. "But as many of the boring larvae are too 

 heavy thus to adhere, and would hold on by their tuberculous 

 feet, or by their strong jaws, the capture of such is effected by a 

 horny tip of the tongue being set with numerous fine barbs on 

 each side, pointing backwards ; the fine point readily pierces the 

 skin of the insect, the barbs yielding as it enters, but when once 

 within, it cannot, without much force, be withdrawn, the barbs 

 having expanded within the skin, and so the insidious grub, de- 

 spite his efforts to maintain his tenancy, is dragged forth by the 

 powerful contraction of the Woodpecker's elastic tongue." All 

 this is to be placed among those beautiful contrivances of the 

 Divine Mind, which are so conspicuous in the "Animal King- 

 dom," and which, in so interesting and striking a manner, exhibit 

 the benevolent and fatherly care of Him, without whose notice 

 not even "a Sparrow falleth to the ground." 



The Woodpeckers are widely scattered over the Eastern and 

 Western Continents. As yet, however, no representative of this 

 family has been found in Australia. The prevailing hue of 

 these birds is black, often handsomely spotted with white, and 

 varied with brilliant red, the latter especially upon the head. 

 They lay their eggs and bring up their young in capacious 

 chambers, which are hollowed out of the trunks of trees. Among 

 the birds of this family, is included the Yimx, more properly 

 lunx, (Gr. iw. iunx,) or WRYNECK, (Y. torquilla.)ofo]d described 

 by Aristotle, and known to classical scholars as referred to in 

 the second Idyl, of Theocritus. Its general color is ash, spotted 

 with brown or black ; its beak is short, straight, and depressedly 

 conical. TheWryneck is a companion of the Cuckoo, appearing 

 and departing about the same time ; and in captivity, is a great 

 favorite. 



The species of Woodpeckers are quite numerous. Audubon 

 mentions twenty-one as found in the United States. 



The IMPERIAL WOODPECKER, P. imperialis, of California and 

 the Rocky Mountains, is the largest, being two feet in length. 

 The GREEN WOODPECKER, P. viridis* (Lat. green.) is found on'the 

 European Continent. P. torquatus, (Lat. collared.) is a species of 

 Green, or blackish-green Woodpecker, (Plate X. fig. 5b,) found in 

 California and the dense forests bordering on the Columbia River. 

 It has a band of dull white running over the back of the neck, 



