WOODPECKERS. 67 



and is locally known as Greciniis Taitcolo, though he may 

 well be compared with Grecinus virid is,the green woodpecker 

 of British woods. He is bigger somewhat than the pied 

 variety, and altogether different in colour, being a yellowish 

 green on the back, with white markings on the wings, a 

 crimson crown totheheadandtheordinary lighter tints beneath. 

 He is distinctly a handsome bird, and perhaps a little bolder 

 than his cousin, the mandarin. At any rate he is more 

 frequently to be seen in this province, and his undulating flight 

 once known will never be mistaken. He usually alights close 

 to the bottom of the tree he means to search, and then works 

 his way upward, tapping here and there and looking every- 

 where. You will see him occasionallj' on the ground, the side 

 of a bank for preference. 



In common with the rest of his tribe he lives on insects 

 and other tree pests, being especially fond of the wood-lice 

 which are to be found in such numbers where there is decay- 

 ing wood to provide them food and shelter. The tapping of 

 the woodpecker is another unforgettable thing. It is impos- 

 sible to believe at first that any animal could possibly strike, 

 and draw back, and strike, and draw back again so rapidly as 

 the woodpecker does. In olden times the sound used to be 

 compared with that of a rattle, but I am more inclined to liken 

 it to something modern — an adjustible electric hammer which 

 can be set to hit as many times per second as may be desired. 

 This gives the woodpecker tapping effect exactly, and doubt- 

 less with the aid of one of these instruments the rate at 

 which the bird makes its strokes might be easily discovered. 

 The sound is so rapidly continuous as to be a sort of patter 

 or rattle, and is very effective in awakening insect life 

 hiding under bark. When its prey is apparently secure 

 in worm holes or other hiding places the woodpecker's 

 wonderful tongue comes into play. This is a worm-shaped 

 weapon with a hardened and sharpened point like the point 

 of a harpoon, with this difference, that whilst the harpoon 

 has barbs only on two sides, the woodpecker's tongue has 

 them all round. As it is very elastic it can be forced to a 

 considerable distance beneath the surface of the wood, and 

 once fixed in the body of grub or insect has so sure a hold, 

 thanks to the barbs, that the prey is quickly drawn out and 

 swallowed. 



Whereupon there is afforded ground for much specu^ 

 lation as to the philosophy of nature. Within the past month 

 I have had occasion to note the manner in which birds feed. 

 I have seen a blackbird within a single minute commit four 

 six-inch murders. In other words I have seen him draw 

 from less than a single square yard of soft soil six worms in 

 the space of less than sixty seconds, and apparently remain as 



