i?<J 01{&£lTH0L0gr« BookII. 



with white fpots, the inner Webs of the fame colour with the precedent. The fea- 

 thers covering the roots of the flags underneath are of a pale green, with tranfverfe 

 dusky lines. The Tail confifts of ten feathers, (tiff, and bending inwards, which by 

 reafon the (haft reacheth not to the end of the Webs, feem to be forked. The two 

 middlemoft feathers are the longeft, by meafiire four inches and an half, have their 

 tips black, elfe they are marked with crofs bars, above of a dark green, and under- 

 neath whitifh, the three next on each fide differ not from thefe. Of the two out- 

 moft ( which are blunter than the reft ) the greater are all over varied with tranfverfe 

 bars of black anddarkgreen alternately placed, the leffer or outmoft have their tops 

 green, and bottoms black. 



The Feet and Toes are of a pale green, and fometimesof a lead colour : The Claws 

 dusky. The Toes placed as in the reft of this kind, two forward, two backward. 

 The loweft bones of the fore toes are joyned together. 



It hath a large Gall, an Inch and half long .• The right Tefticle round, the left ob- 

 long, and bent almoft into a circle, which left any one fhould think accidental, I ob- 

 served in three feveral birds. It hath no blind Cuts,but in their ftead the (freight Gut 

 is dilated in that place. Its Crop was full of Ants and Ants Eggs. It feeds alio upon 

 • Caterpillars and Cojfi. It fits more upon the ground than other Woodpeckers, and feeks 

 its food there. 



Its Tongue is round, ending in a ftifT, fharp, bony tip, dented on both fides. 

 This Tongue the Bird can dart out to a great length, viz. fotiie three or four inches, 

 and draw up again, by the help of two fmall round Cartilages, faftned into the fore- 

 mentioned bony tip, and running along the length of the Tongue : Thefe Cartilages 

 from the root of the Tongue take a circuit beyond the Ears, and being reflected back- 

 wards to the crown of the Head, ( where they both meet again, and are kept down 

 down by a Ligament going over them ) make a large bow. Below the Ligament they 

 run down the Sagittal Suture, and then declining a little to the Tight fide, pals juft 

 above the orbit of the right Eye, and along the right fide of the Bill into a hole 

 ex-eavated there, whence they have their rife or original. The mufculous fpongy 

 flefhof the Tongue encloles thefe Cartilages like a (heath, and is fo made that it may 

 be extended or contracted like a Worm. That part alfo of thefe Cartilages, reaching 

 from the hind part of the Head to the end of the Bill , is covered with the like mufcu- 

 « lous flefh that may be contracted or extended like the Tongue, only both Cartilages 

 are not enclofed in one mufcle, but have each its feveral diftinft mufculous fheath,like 

 two fmall firings or worms. On the ends of thefe Cartilages (for I could without much 

 force draw them out of their focket in the Bill J there was a white glutinous or mu- 

 cous matter. On the infide the flexure of thefe Cartilages reaching from the root of 

 the Tongue to the top of the Head,was a broad thin mufcle, which ferved to move the 

 Cartilages to and fro. For by contracting it (elf it ftreightens the bow of the Carti- 

 lages ( almoft after the manner as the Tunica Uvea dilates the Pupil ) and fo neceflarily 

 forces the Cartilages forward through the Tongue, and thruftsout the Tongue: But 

 we leave thefe things to be morecurioufly weighed and examined by others. 



The tips of the (hafts of the Tail-feathers in this and other Woodpeckers feem to be 

 broken or worn off by their refting upon them in climbing. 



This kind lays five or fix Eggs at once. I have feen fix young ones together in a 

 Neft. 



* Bellonius hk greateji green Woodpecker. 



Bellonius makes this Bird ( which he would have to be Arifiotles third kind of 

 Woodpecker ) far greater than the common green WoodJj>ite now defcribed. He gives 

 him a crooked Bill, contrary to the manner of the reft of this Tribe: Feet afterthe 

 faihion of others : Divers fpots in the Wings, fuch as are feen in the Wings of the 

 reft, but different in colour. 



§. III. 



