294 
Birds. 
THE COMMON GREEN WOODPECKER, 
(Picus viridis,) 
Receives his name from his habit of pecking the insects 
from the chinks of trees and holes in the bark. The bill 
is straight, strong, and angular at the end ; and in most 
of the species is formed like a wedge, for the purpose 
of piercing the trees. The nostrils are covered with 
bristles. The tongue is slender, and cylindrical in 
shape, and to the touch is hard and bony. The Wood- 
pecker, in common with the Humming Bird, though for 
a different object, possesses the remarkable property of 
being able to dart out its tongue and secure insects al a 
considerable distance from its beak. For the purpose of 
effectually capturing the stronger insects, the tongue is 
barbed at the end, and provided with glutinous secre- 
tion. The toes of this bird are placed two forward and 
two backward ; and the tail consists of ten hard, stiff, 
and sharp-pointed feathers. A Woodpecker is often 
seen hanging by his claws, and resting upon his breast 
against the stem of a tree ; when, after darting his beak 
against the bark, with great strength and noise, he runs 
round the tree with much alacrity, which manoeuvre 
has made the country people suppose that he goes round 
