o arrangement of toes, two forward and two 

 182 ° ' 



back; and the stiff, spiny tall-feathers for 



/yj supporting himself against the side of a tree 



Je//ocu as he works. But getting his living so, as 



ea/enfs Nature intended, means hard work ; and he 



has discovered for himself a much easier 



way. One now frequently surprises him on 



the ground, in old pastures and orchards, 



floundering about rather awkwardly (for his 



little feet were never intended for walking) 



after the crickets and grasshoppers that 



abound there. Still he finds the work of 



catching them much easier than boring into 



dry old trees, and the insects themselves 



much larger and more satisfactory. 



A single glance will show how much this 

 new way of living has changed him from the 

 other woodpeckers. The bill is no longer 

 straight, but has a decided curve, like the 

 thrush's; and instead of the chisel-shaped 

 edge there is a rounded point. The red tuft 

 on the head, which marks all the woodpecker 

 family, would be too conspicuous on the 

 ground. In its place we find a red crescent 

 well down on the neck, and partially hidden 



