204 SCANSORES. PICID^E. 



by the horny tip of the tongue being set with 

 numerous fine barbs on each side, pointing back- 

 wards ; 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 withdrawn, the barbs having expanded within the 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, despite his efforts 

 to maintain his tenancy, is dragged forth by the 

 powerful contraction of the Woodpecker's elastic 

 tongue. 



And here let us pause a moment, and turn our 

 thoughts from the bird before us to the Almighty 

 LORD GOD, who created it for His praise ; from 

 the beautiful contrivances we have been admiring, 

 to the Eternal Mind whose wisdom designed, and 

 whose skill executed them. " For the invisible 

 things of Him from the creation of the world are 

 clearly seen, being understood by the things that 

 are made, EVEN His ETERNAL POWER AND GOD- 

 HEAD ;" so that we should be without excuse, if, 

 discerning such wondrous proofs of the fatherly 

 love of God even to his irrational creatures, we 

 " glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful." 



The Woodpeckers are widely scattered over 

 both continents ; no representative of the form 

 has, however, been discovered in Australia. They 

 chiefly affect the forests, and are among the com- 

 paratively few birds that do habitually prefer 

 their solemn sylvan recesses. Their flight is weak 

 and undulating ; their voices loud, harsh, and sud- 

 den. They lay their eggs and bring up their 

 young in capacious chambers, which are hollowed 

 out of the trunks of trees by the means of their 

 powerful beaks. Their compact, well-built form 

 indicates strength rather than grace : their pre- 



