BRITISH BIRDS. 
117 
Is furrounded by a black fpace ; and from each 
corner of the bill there is a crimfon ftreak pointing 
downwards ; the back and wing coverts are of an 
olive green; the rump yellow ; the quill feathers 
are dufky, barred on the outer web with black and 
white ; the baftard wing is fpotted with white ; the 
fides of the head and all the under parts of the body 
are white, fiightly tinged with green ; the tail is 
marked with bars like the wings ; the legs are 
greenifh, The female differs from the male in 
not having the red mark from the corner of the 
mouth ; ffie makes her neft in the hollow of a tree* 
fifteen or twenty feet from the ground. Buffon 
obferves that both male and female labour by turns 
in boring through the living part of the wood, 
fometimes to a confiderable depth, until they pe- 
netrate to that which is decayed and rotten, where 
fhe lays five or fix eggs, of a greenifti colour, mark- 
ed with fmall black fpots. 
The Green Woodpecker isfeen more frequently 
on the ground than the other kinds, particularly 
where there are ant-hills. It inferts its long tongue 
into the holes through which the ants iffue, and 
draws out thefe infers in abundance. Sometimes, 
with its feet and bill, it makes a breach in the neft, 
and devours them at its eafe_, together with their 
eggs. The young ones climb up and down the 
trees before they are able to fly ; they rooft very 
early, and repofe in their holes till day. 
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