1QO NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Capable of piercing sound timber. 



of piercing trees. The feathers of the tail are 

 very stiff; and so firmly set into the rump, that 

 when the bird has fastened its claws into the 

 inequalities of the bark, he places his strong tail- 

 feathers against it, and thus, standing as it were 

 erect, forms a hole by means of its bill. It is 

 able to pierce not only sound, but even hard 

 trees, as the oak and hornbeam. The hole thus 

 made is enlarged within, for the greater conveni- 

 ence of depositing its nest. The damage it does 

 to timber by this means is very considerable. 



The female lays two or three white eggs. 

 This bird, which has a very loud and unpleasant 

 voice, inhabits Switzerland, Germany, and seve- 

 ral of the northern regions; and is migratory. 

 It is sometimes, but very rarely found in Eng- 

 land. This bird likewise lives on insects ; which 

 it catches on the bark of trees, or between the 

 bark and wood, in the same manner as the green 

 woodpecker. 



WHITE-BILLED WOODPECKER. 



THIS species is about the size of a crow. 

 The bill is white, three inches long, and chan- 

 nelled. On the head is a red pointed crest: the 

 head itself and the body in general are black ; 

 but the lower part of the back, the rump,, and 

 upper tail-coverts, are white. From the eye a 

 white stripe arises, and passes on each side of the 



