woo 
all over deeply fulcated ; the clavicle is elevated; 
and the beak is extremely long, and hollowed 
into a fort of tube. 
WOOD-LARK. See Lark. 
WOOD MITE. A little animal, called alfo 
the Wood Loufe, frequently found among rotten 
wood. It has often been the fubjeft of microfco- 
pical obfervationsj and is probably the Pediculus 
Pulfatorius, defcribed by Derham, as conftituting 
one of the deatli-watches. 
WOODPECKER. The EngliOi appella- 
tion for a bird of the picus kind, of which there 
are numerous varieties. Thefe form large colo- 
nies in almoft every part of the world; and the 
wifdom of Providence in the admirable contriv- 
ance of the fitnefs of the parts of animals to their 
refpeftive natures, cannot be better illuftrated 
than from this tribe. 
Woodpeckers fubfifl: entirely on infedls ; and 
their principal aflion is that of climbing up and 
down the trunks or boughs of trees. For the pur- 
pofe of procuring their food, they are provided 
with a long flender tongue, armed with a fliarp 
bony point, barbed on each fide, which, affifted 
by a curious apparatus of mufcles, they can exert 
at pleafure, darting it to a great length into the 
clefts of the bark, transfixing and extrafling the 
concealed infefts. Such is the inftrument with 
which this bird is provided, and fuch the pur- 
pofe to which it is applied. 
When a Woodpecker difcovers a hollow rotten 
tree, where worms, ants eggs, or infe(flG, may be 
expefled, it inftantly prepares for it's operations. 
Refting by it's ftrong claws, and leaning on the 
thick feathers of it's tail, it bores with it's fharp 
ftrong beak, till it difclofes the whole internal ha- 
bitation. Then, either as an exprefilon of joy, 
or with an intent to alarm the infeft colony, it 
fends forth a loud cry, which creates terror and 
confufion among the whole tribe, and puts them 
immediately in motion ; while the bird luxu- 
rioufly feafts on them at it's leifure, darting it's 
tongue with un<^rring certainty, and devouring 
the whole brood, according as appetite prompts. 
The depredations of the Woodpecker, how- 
ever, are not confined folely to trees; but it 
fometimes defcends to the ground, in order to try 
it's fortune at an ant-hill ; where it is lefs fecure 
of prey, though the numbers are inuch greater. 
The infefls, in this cafe, ufually lie too deep for 
the birds to reach them; but they fupply by ftra- 
tagem the defedt of their power. The bird pecks 
at their hills, in order to call them abroad ; and 
j:hrufting out it's longred tongue, which refembles 
their ufual prey, the ants come in crowds to fettle 
on it; when the bird watching a favourable op- 
portunity, fuddenly withdraws it's tongue, and 
devours the devourers. 
The Woodpecker forms a cavity in fome tree, 
in which it builds a ned. This is perfonned with 
it's bill, though fome have erroneoufly affirmed, 
that this bird ufes it's tongue as a piercer to bore 
with. It generally fele(5ts fuch trees as are de- 
cayed, or foft and fpongy; in which it makes a 
round hole with vaft perfeverAnce and exadtnefs. 
When the neft is compleated, the Woodpecker 
immediately lays it's eggs, generally five or fix in 
number, which are oblong, and of a femi^tranfpa- 
rent white colour-. It employs neither feathers, 
ftraw, or any other lining; but trufts entirely to 
the heat of it's own body. 
The old hole is frequently pofleffed by the 
Vdl.il 
WOO 
jay, the ftarling, or the bat, which are lefs ex- 
pert borers, and lefs delicate in their choice of a 
neft. 
However, the Woodpeckers of Guinea and 
Brazil fufpend their nefts from the extremity of 
the branches of trees. In peopled countries, in- 
deed, the feathered tribe exert all their addrefs 
to conceal their nefts from the human race ; but, 
in climates where man is feldom feen, he cannot 
poffibly be dreaded. In thefe remote and folitary 
forefts, where the monkey and the fnake are the 
principal enemies of the kind, the Woodpeckers 
are only folicitous to protedl their eggs and them- 
felves from the encroachments of thefe hideous 
invaders. For this purpofe, they feledl the ex- 
treme branches of fome tall tree, fuch as the ba- 
nana or the plantane: there they fufpend their nefts 
in great abundance; forming them of a fibrous 
fubftance refembling hair, which being conglu- 
tinated by a vifcous juice, either natural to the 
birds or found in the foreft, eafily aflumes any 
ftiape. On one fide there is a hole left for en- 
trance; and there they lay their eggs and rear 
their young in fecurity. 
Woodpecker, Green; the Picus Viridis of 
Linnaeus. This fpecies is about thirteen inches 
long; the expanfion of the wings is twenty-one; 
and the weight nearly fix ounces and a half The 
bill, which is dufky, triangular, and nearly two 
inches long, is exceedingly ftrong and hard, and 
fomewhat cuneiform at the extremity : Derham 
obferves, that a neat ridge runs along the top, as 
if defigned for ftrength and beauty. The eyes arc 
furrounded with black; beneath which is a crim- 
fon mark in the males, which is wanting in the 
females. The back, neck, and lefiTer coverts of 
the v/ings, are green ; and the rump is of a pale 
yellow hue. The greater quill-feathers are duf- 
ky, fpotted with white on each fide. The tail 
confifts of ten ftiff^ feathers, the extremities of 
which are generally broken, as the bird refts on 
them in climbing; their tips are black; and the 
remainder is alternately barred with duflcy and 
deep green. The whole of the under part of the 
body is of a very pale green colour; and the 
thighs are marked with dufky lines. The legs, 
which are pale green, are ftiort and ftrong ; the 
thighs are very mufcular; and two of the toes 
point backwards, and two forwards. 
This bird is alfo called the Rain-fowl, becaufe 
it is fuppofed to predidl rain when it makes a 
louder noife than ufual. 
Woodpecker, Spotted, Great; the Picus 
Major of Linnsus. This bird is about nine 
inches long, and fixteen wide; and the weight is 
little more than. two ounces. The bill is of a 
black horn-colour, and the forehead a pale bufF. 
The crown of the head is a glofly black; and the 
hind part is marked with a rich deep crimfon fpot. 
The cheeks are white, bounded beneath by a black 
line, pafiing from the angle of the mouth, and 
furrounding the hind part of the head. The neck 
is encircled with black ; and the throat and breaft 
are of a yellowifh white colour. The back, rump, 
coverts of the tail, and leffer coverts of the wings, 
are black ; the quill-feathers are alfo black, each 
web being elegantly marked with round white 
fpots; the four middle feathers of the tail are 
black; the next are tipt with dirty yellow; the 
bottoms of the two extreme ones are black ; and 
the legs are of a leaden colour. 
The fejnale is diftinguiftied from the male by - 
5 D her 
