MATTRAL THISTORT. 
I 33 
The colours of the female are the fame as 
in the male, except the crimfon fpot on the 
head. 
G R E E N W O O D P E C KE R. 
F this bird thei'C are many kinds and va- 
rieties, formfmg large colonies, in the ferefts 
of ahnoft every part of the world. R'he wif- 
dom of Providence, in the admirable forma- 
tion of creatures according to their refpeftivc 
natures, cannot be better exemplified than in 
the birds of this genus. 
Woodpeckers, feeding entirely upon in- 
fers, and their principal aeT:ion being nccclla- 
! rily that of climbing v.p and down the trunks 
i or branches of trees, have a long llender 
tongue, armed with a (liarp bony end, barbed 
on each fide, which, with tlie ailillance of a 
curious apparatus of muiclcs, they dart to a 
great deptli into the clefts of the bark, from 
whence they draw out the lurking infedfs. 
When this bird difcpvcrs a rotten, hollow 
tree, it cries aloud, which alarms the infedt 
colony, and puts them into cenfulion; by 
which means it is better enabled to get at the 
prey. By thus dellroying the/c inledls, 
which are found fometimes on trees not en- 
tirely decayed, it lliould feem as if nature 
bad formed this bird for the exprefs purpole 
M of 
