THE GREAT BLACK — THE GREEN WOODPECKER. 165 



Hast thou e'er, when alone, amidst woodlands remote, 

 In the forest far distant from dwellings of men, — 

 In the grove's gloomy umbrage, — the mountain's 



deep glen, — 

 When solemnity, solitude, silence, excite 

 A feeling of awe that no pen may indite, 

 Been startled by some bird's appalling loud note ? 



The Martins, or Great Black Woodpecker is black ex- 

 cept the crown of the head, which is vermilion; size of a jack- 

 daw ; length seventeen inches; builds a large and deep nest in 

 some tree, which it excavates f<*r the purpose ; eggs two or 

 three, white. This bird is very scarce in England ; it is said 

 however to have been met with in Devonshire. It is found in 

 other parts of Europe generally, and also in Chili. It chiefly 

 resides among poplar trees, feeding on bees and ants. In winter 

 this bird disappears. In the female the hind head only is red. 

 These birds strike with such force against the trees which they 

 excavate, that the noise is heard as far as a wood-cutter's 

 hatchet. The hole which they make in the tree is generally 

 round, and of course sufficiently large to admit their bodies. 

 It appears that their reasons for thus scooping out trees are 

 two ; the first for the purpose of obtaining ants and insects 

 which secrete themselves in the soft or rotten wood, and after- 

 wards for a nest. 



The Viridis, Green Woodpecker, IVoodspite, Rain-bird or 

 Rain-fowl, High-hoe, Hew-hole, Awl-bird, Yapping-ale, Yaffle or 

 Yaffier, Woodwall or Poppinjay, is thirteen inches long ; the ge- 

 neral colour of this bird is green; the crown is crimson; the 

 rump is yellow, beneath a very pale yellowish green ; the bill is 

 two, the tongue six, inches long. Another variety with the up- 

 per part of the head and spots beneath the ears deep red. The 

 first variety is found in Europe and our own country ; the se- 



