O F B I R D S. 



ftreaks ; the beak ftrong, large, and black ; the tongue of the 

 fame colour, bifid at the tip ; the Ihoulders and breaft of a pale 

 reddifli-brown, tinged fomewhat with carmine. Fifteen of the 

 remigss or fail-feathers in the wings are covered with fome iliort 

 ones of a beautiful azure, black and white in alternate lines, fo 

 gloffy and fplendent, as to have the appearance of a rich ena- 

 mel. It lives upon acorns, and both wild and garden fruits. 

 They will come two or three together out of the wood into my 

 little garden at Stmonburn in the rafp and goofeberry-feafon, and 

 can hardly be frightened away, proclaiming it, as it were, in 

 loud clamours from tree to tree to be their own property. 



1 5. The Green Woodpecker (3) has been obfcrved in fome of our 

 vale-woods, but is not common. It was frequent in Z)/^sn-park 

 before the wood was cut down. It is a beautiful bird, in an ele- 

 gant head-drefs, a rich crimfon, or vermilion, variegated with 

 fmall black fpots in an irregular order ; the eyes bright and 

 piercing; the pupil large, and black, with a double circle in- 

 ftead of an iris ; the interior one of a brownifh-red ; the exterior 

 white ; a black lift round the eyes, with a crimfon fpot under 

 each. The throat, bread, and belly, are a pale green ; the 

 upper part of the neck, the back, and the fmall feathers on the 

 wings, of a deeper and a finer green ; fome of the tail-feathers 

 of a dulky hue, with white fpots, the rump a pale yellow, or 

 ftraw-colour. The tongue is round, with a bony point, dented 

 on each fide, capable of being contracted or extended, to a great 

 length, at pleafure, by the help of two cartilages in mufcular 

 cafes. It darts it with a wonderful force into the barks of trees, 



(s) Picus viridis. HJCKWALL. WITWALL. GREENWOOD-PECKER. Cbarkt. Av. 93. 

 n. 3. Witt. Orn. 93. n. 21. Picus viridis, vertice coccineo. Linn. Faun. Suec. 28. n. 80. 



where 



