109 
Monsieur Button with his usual warmth 
of imagination, thus describes the seem- 
ingly dull and solitary life of the Wood- 
pecker. 
"Of all the birds which earn their 
subsistence by spoil, none leads a life so 
laborious and so painful as the Wood- 
pecker. Nature has condemned it to 
incessant toil and slavery. While others 
freely employ their courage or address, 
and either shoot on rapid wing, or lurk in 
close ambush, the Woodpecker is con- 
strained to drag out an insipid existence 
in boring the bark and hard fibres of trees, 
to extract its humble prey. Necessity 
never suffers any intermission of its 
labours — never grants an interval of sound 
repose — often during the night it sleeps in 
the same painful posture as in the fatigues 
of the day. It never shares the cheerful 
sports of the other inhabitants of the air: 
it joins not their vocal concerts, and its 
wild cries and saddening tones, while they 
disturb the silence of the forest, express 
constraint and effort. 
Its movements are quick ; its gestures, 
