40 The Naturalist in Siluria. 



and tail bent inward against the bark, as if to prop it in 

 its place. 



Scrutinizing the bird carefully, as he has opportunity 

 now, the traveller will notice that it is of a yellowish 

 green colour all over the back, with a speckle of black 

 and white barring the outer edges of its wings and tail ; 

 the crown of its head showing a large, well-defined disc 

 of deepest crimson. If he have visited tropical countries, 

 it will recall to his mind the birds of bright feather he 

 may have seen there. For it is the Green Woodpecker 

 {Picus viridis), in splendour of plumage excelling all our 

 native species ; perhaps the bee-eater, roller, and king- 

 fisher excepted. 



Watching it awhile, after it has pitched against the 

 apple-tree, it will be seen to work upward, not creepingly, 

 but in bold, confident shoots, sometimes direct up the 

 trunk, and sometimes obliquely around it. Now and 

 then it will stop, delve its long, pickaxe-like beak into the 

 bark j and keep delving, quicker than could carpenter or 

 nailer strike with their hammers ; its purpose, to lay open 

 the lair of the wood-louse, or insect larvae, concealed 

 underneath. At intervals, while thus engaged, it gives 

 utterance to its wild, weird cry, which has been likened, 

 and not without reason, to the laugh of a maniac. The 

 note, however, is not always sounded exactly the same : 

 there are times when it is less loud, and softer, and not 

 unfrequently monosyllabic — a single "chook," as if 

 abruptly broken ofi" at seizing or discovering prey. 

 When in full resonance it can be heard distinctly at a 

 mile's distance. 



Having ascended the tree to its top, or so far as the 

 bark shows fissures, with the likelihood of creepers 

 underneath, the bird flings off to another, as before. 



