4i8 



British Cage Birds. 



and a short, narrow stripe of black runs from the lower part 

 1 of the hind neck to the top of the breast, in a sort of zig-zag- 

 fashion. The scapulars and part of the wing coverts are 

 white ; the wing feathers and the remainder of the coverts 

 are black, tipped and spotted with white ; the throat and 

 breast are yellowish grey ; the lower part of the abdomen 

 and vent are crimson, slightly tinged with dull red ; the tail 

 is black and white, the four middle feathers being all black, 

 and the others variously marked with white ; the exterior 

 feathers on each side have two black spots on the inner and 

 outer web, and the next has two on the inner and only one 

 on the outer web. The legs and feet are of a dark lead colomv 

 the feet being so formed as to enable the bird to take a firm 

 grip with its claws, whilst swinging the body with its full 

 force, to strike the trees to frighten the insects from their 

 hiding-places. 



The tongue is so constructed that the bird is enabled to 

 protrude it to a considerable extent, and it is so fine and 

 strong at the tip, that it can thrust it with impunity into 

 the closest interstices of the trees to bring out the insects 

 lodged there. In order to do this, there are connected to the 

 tongue two elastic ligaments, which are united near the 

 junction of the upper mandible to the skull ; these pass 

 round the back of the head and beneath the lower mandible^ 

 so that the birds are enabled, by moving the muscles of the 

 neck, to protrude the tongue to the extent of several inches^ 

 and withdraw it by a reverse motion ; the extremity is horny, 

 and covered with a gummy secretion, to which the small insects 

 and their larvee adhere. 



Habits and Beeeding. — The Greater Woodpecker is in- 

 digenous to Great Britain. It is less common than the 

 Green Woodpecker, but more widely distributed ; it is met 

 with in most parts of Scotland, whereas the latter variety 

 is rarely seen so far north. The Greater Woodpecker is found 

 pretty generally throughout Europe, and has been dis- 

 covered in some parts of America. It is not uncommon in 

 the counties of Worcester, Hereford, and Warwick, and is 

 less solitary in disposition than the green variety, as it is 

 often observed in orchards and gardens, feeding on old, 

 decayed apple trees, where insects abound. Woodpeckers 

 do not attack sound, healthy trees, for in these insects 



