196 Snmmer Studies of Birds and Books chap. 



does not seem to have dissected a Woodpecker, or 

 he would surely have had something to tell us 

 of the wonderful machinery of that tongue.'- He 

 speaks of three kinds, the largest of which,— as large 

 as a fowl, — is certainly the Great Black Woodpecker, 

 " which hunts for worms so diligently that it is said 

 even to destroy a tree by hollowing it out." The 

 Nuthatch seems to be reckoned among the Wood- 

 peckers ; for what other bird can it be that has been 

 known to fix an almond in a crevice of timber to 

 get a good purchase for his bill in cracking it, and 

 to succeed at the third blow?^ Lastly, we shall 

 not fail to recognise our familiar little Tree-creeper 

 in the Certhius whose name it still bears ; for it is 

 described as being of a bold disposition, as searching 

 for its food on trees, and as being especially diligent 

 in this practice.^ 



He has perhaps more to tell us of the Kingfisher 

 than any other bird, assuming, that is, that the bird 

 which he calls okKvav is really our Kingfisher, a 

 point on which I myself have no doubt at all. Let 

 me quote his description, that every one may judge for 

 himself. " It is not much larger than a sparrow ; 

 its colour is blue (Kvavovv) and green (■x^copov) and 



''- H. A. ix. 9. It is odd that he does not notice that these 

 birds, like the Wryneck, have two toes before and behind. The 

 Three-toed Woodpecker is not found in Greece (P. tridactylus). 



^ lb. sec. 4. 



« E. A. ix. 17. 2. 



