G 
WOODPECKEES. 
method by which the Woodpecker takes its prey. The 
tongue is terminated by a horny, thorn-like point, 
which, when the tongue is protruded, transfixes the 
insect, and the cartilaginous barbs with which it is armed 
prevent the insect from disengaging itself,let it struggle 
never so violently. The tongue is immediately with- 
drawn into the bill, and the insect is removed by 
means of a fringe of hairs pointed backwards and 
placed in the back of the palate, and surrounding a 
longitudinal groove. It is supposed that in detaching 
the transfixed insect the horny end of the tongue is 
pointed to the back of the throat, and then being 
brought forward into its usual position, the fringe 
detaches the prey from the barbs.* 
The muscles which move the bill and head are ca- 
pable of very powerful action, and by their means the 
bird is enabled speedily to punch a hole in the wood 
even of a living tree. The rapidity with which a 
AVoodpecker pecks away at its work is almost, incre- 
dible, the strokes cannot be counted, nor is it easy to 
detect the motion of the head and neck. 
The main office for which the structure of a A\"ood- 
pecker has to be adapted, says Air. Aludie, is that of 
maintaining with the under part of the body a verti- 
cal position on the bark of a tree, in such a manner as 
to have the head, the neck, and the spine, as far as the 
lumbar vertebra? (which have a little more motion in 
this bird than in some others), perfectly free, so that 
the point of the bill may command the largest possible 
surface which is compatible with the length of the 
neck, or move with that force and velocity which are 
* Bewick. 
