

wy THE NATURAL HISTORY 
When a Woodpecker has found an old decayed 
tree, in which there are worms, OF ants eggs, or 
infects, he fixes his ftrong claws in the bark, and 
leaning on the {tiff feathers of the tail, he begins 
~ to bore with his bill; and, when he has opened a 
way into their dwelling, he feafts upon the poor 
infects, darting his tongue through them, and 
drawing them into his beak. : 
Sometimes, when he finds an ant-hill on the 
ground, he pecks with his bill and difturbs the — 
ants, he then thrufts out his long red tongue, 
and Jays it on the ground : the ants perhaps think 
it to be a worm, (for it is very much like one) 
and as they are very fond of worms, they fettle 
upon it in great numbers; the Woodpecker then 
dra ws in his tongue, and eats them all. 
~The Woodpecker’s bill is very ftrong, and of 
a proper form for boring wood. He makes his 
neft in a hollow tree, and bores a round hole in 
the fide, at which he gets in: but he is very nice 
imhis choice, and as he can eafily make thefe holes, 
he fometimes leaves a great many before he fixes 
upon one. Thofe that he has left, other birds 
that cannot bore fo well, make their nefts in, 
fuch as the Jay and the Starling. Woodpeckers _ 
ee do much mifchief in woods, by boring the trees, 
_which afterwards decay, and fometimes by ftrip- 
ping the bark. The 

