The Gree7i Woodpecker. 413 



surrounds the eyes, and extends some distance beyond ; and, 

 from the base of the lower mandible, extending backward 

 and downward in a slightly oblique direction, is a rather 

 long, pear-shaped spot of black, beautifully enriched with 

 a vivid crimson centre ; the hind neck, back, and lesser wing 

 coverts are a lovely yellowish green ; the rump and tail 

 coverts are a mixture of yellow and green, the first-named 

 colour predominating. The tail is pale brown ; the feathers 

 composing it are spotted or barred on each side of the shaft 

 with dark brown, and tipped with black. Each wing con- 

 tains twenty pen feathers ; the first on each side are shorter 

 than those adjoining. The nine outer feathers are dusky, or 

 blackish brown, with white spots on each side of the shafts, 

 and have the appearance of the quills of a porcupine ; the 

 remainder are olive green, with vandyked brown borders next 

 the rib, on the outside, and are spotted with white and dark 

 brown alternately on the inner margins, dappled with large 

 white marks or spots. 



The larger wing coverts are mottled the same as the 

 primary feathers of the wings ; the latter are very long, 

 covering a considerable portion of the tail. The sides of 

 the head, neck, throat, breast, and abdomen, are an indefinite 

 whitish green colour, and at the sides of the body are small, 

 almost imperceptible, spots or marks of darker green, in 

 longitudinal stripes. The vent and under tail coverts are 

 darker in hue, shaded with white, and striped with pale 

 brown. The legs are short, and greyish ashen green in 

 colour ; the toes — -two in front and two behind — are formed 

 for climbing. The tongue of this bird is one of its peculiar 

 features ; it is 5in. in length when fully extended, and 

 provided with a hard, horny tip, almost as sharp as a darning 

 needle, for the purpose of piercing its prey ; it is covered with 

 a glutinous substance, to which ants' eggs and the larvae of 

 insects readily adhere. The bird can extend and contract 

 this membrane at pleasure. 



Habits and Breeding. — The Green "Woodpecker is indigenous 

 to this country, but is most plentiful in the Southern and 

 Midland counties of England ; it is well known throughout 

 the greater portion of Europe. It inhabits woods, parks, 

 groves, orchards, and gardens, in sequestered districts, and 

 especially where old, decayed trees are to be found. In 



