112 
BRITISH BIRDS. 
gular fpots, irregularly difperfed ; the larger quill 
feathers are marked on the outer webs with alter- 
nate fpots of dark brown and ruft colour, which, 
when the wing is clofed, give it the appearance of 
chequered work ; the reft of the wing and fcapu- 
lars are nicely freckled and fhaded with brown 
fpots of different fizes ; the tail feathers are marked 
with irregular bars of black, the intervening fpa- 
ces being finely freckled and powdered with dark 
brown fpots ; its bill is rather long, ftiarp-point- 
ed, and of a pale lead colour ; its eyes are light 
brown ; but what chiefly diftinguifhes this fingular 
bird is the ftrudture of its tongue, which is of con- 
fiderable length, of a cylindrical form, and capable 
of being pulhed forwards or drawn into its bill a- 
gain ; it is furnifhed with a horny fubftance at its 
end, with which it fecures its prey and brings it to 
its mouth ; its legs are fhort and llender ; the toes 
placed two before and two behind ; the claws fharp, 
much hooked, and formed for climbing the branch- 
es of trees, on which it can run in all directions 
with great facility. It makes an artlefs neft, of dry 
grafs upon dufty rotten wood, in holes of trees, the 
entrance to which is fo fmall as fcarcely to admit 
the hand, on which account its eggs are come at 
with difficulty ; according to Buffon, they are per- 
fectly white, and from eight to ten in number.™ 
This curious bird, though fimilar in many refpeCts 
to the Woodpecker, feems to conftitute a genus of 
itfelf : It is found in various parts of Europe, and 
