A YOUNO NATURALIST. m 



rocks, and the stream will have renewed its course. If 

 chance should ever lead us again to this spot, the rich foli- 

 age and flowers would almost prevent our recognizing the 

 desolation which now impresses us so much." 



I crossed the stream, in order to reach our bivouac by 

 the opposite bank to that which we had hitherto followed. 

 Suddenly a noise, like a mallet striking the trunk of a tree, 

 attracted our attention. 



" You told me just now there was no one but ourselves 

 in the forest," cried Lucien. 



" Chut !" replied 1'Encuerado ; " it is nothing but a large 

 woodpecker." 



And each of us glided under the bushes and tried to get 

 near the winged workman, who so loudly betrayed his pres- 

 ence. Ten minutes elapsed, but all was silent, and the ob- 

 ject of our search appeared to have moved off. In fact, we 

 were about to give up the pursuit, when thi-ee blows, struck 

 at regular intervals, resounded near us. 



The Carpintero (carpenter), for such it is called in Mexi- 

 co, has veiy brilliant yellow eyes, red feathers upon the 

 head, while the body is dark-colored streaked with white. 

 It climbs easily up the trunks of trees, resting upon its tail- 

 feathers. At length we observed it, and as we looked, ad- 

 miring its plumage, it again struck three resounding blows, 

 and ran round the tree as if to inspect the other side. 



" The fool !" muttered 1'Encuerado ; " he thinks he can 

 pierce a tree as thick as my body with three pecks of his 

 beak ! He'll soon be eateii." 



And he fired at the bird and hit it. 



" I say, papa, did the woodpecker really want to pierce 

 this big tree ?" 



" Xo, my boy; that is a popular but unfounded idea. 

 The woodpecker strikes the trees in order to frighten the 

 insects that are concealed under the bark; and the action 



