218 SCANDRICES. PICTN^E. 



fleshy, with a horny barbed tip and extensile by means 

 of the elongated hyoid bones ; oesophagus without crop ; 

 proventriculus extremely large ; stomach moderately mus- 

 cular, with a dense longitudinally rugous epithelium ; in- 

 testine of moderate length, rather wide ; no coeca. Tarsi 

 short, compressed, anteriorly scutellate ; toes compressed, 

 moderate, excepting the first, which is short, sometimes 

 rudimentary or wanting, the fourth or outer long and di- 

 rected backwards ; claws strong, much arched, compress- 

 ed, laterally grooved, very acute. 



Of this order we have in Britain only a few represen- 

 tatives of a single family, the Picinse. They cling to the 

 bark of trees by means of their strong curved claws, as- 

 cend vertically or obliquely, tap the loose bark of decayed 

 trees, or detach it in fragments, or break up the rotten 

 wood, to obtain the larvse and insects which shelter there. 

 They nestle in holes which they bore in decayed trees. 



FAMILY XXVII. PICIN^E. PICINE BIRDS, 

 OE WOODPECKERS. 



Bill strong, straight, tapering, angular, wedge-shaped, 

 or compressed and abrupt at the end. Tongue long, 

 slender, round, with a flattened narrow tip furnished with 

 lateral reversed prickles, and capable of being thrust out 

 to a great extent, by means of the elongated hyoid bones, 

 which curve round the skull as far as the forehead, and 

 sometimes even surround the right eye ; oesophagus of 

 moderate width, or rather narrow ; proventriculus very 

 wide ; stomach moderate, roundish, with moderately 

 strong muscles, and dense, rugous epithelium ; intestine 

 of moderate length, rather wide ; no coeca ; cloaca enor- 

 mously large. Tarsi short ; toes long, the outer elongated 

 and directed outwards and backwards, the first small, 



