as to render them fit instruments for climbing. Such are the members of the family Certhiada, answering to TEMMINCK'S order Anisodactyli. The five primary divisions or families that compose the circle of the tribe, are, the Psittacida and Picida (being the typical groups), the Certhiada, Cuculida, and Ramphustida (the Aberrant).* We possess examples in Britain of only three of these families, viz. Picidæ, Certhiadæ, and Cuculida. FAMILY II. PICIDE, VIG. THE Picidæ, one of the typical families of the Scansores, contains, besides the true Woodpeckers, other genera nearly allied to them in habits, and which, from the variation in structure of the bill, support the necessary connection with the other families of the tribe. Such is the genus Pogonias (ILLIG.), which, from the deep and curved form of the bill, seems to lead back to the Psittacida; and nearly allied to it, follows that of Bucco (LINN.), where the bill makes a nearer approach to that of the true Woodpeckers. The Wrynecks (genus Yuna, LINN.) are also properly included in this fa mily, as well as that group of which the genus Oxyrynchos (TEMM.) is the type. The farther division of it has been noticed by Mr SWAINSON, who points out four of its subfamilies, named by him Piciana, Bucconina, Yunxina, and Oxyrynchina; the type of the fifth is yet unknown. I have, however, from the deficiency of species rendering it impossible to institute the minute examination and analysis necessary, described our three Woodpeckers under the title Picus, merely adverting to the genera under which they ought to be arranged, according to their affinities, as given by Mr SWAINSON. To comprehend the affinities which unite the various groups of this tribe with each other, and their connexion with the contiguous orders and families, I refer my readers to the writings of Mr VIGORS and Mr SWAINSON. GENUS PICUS, LINN. WOODPECKER. GENERIC CHARACTERS. BILL as long as, or longer than, the head, straight, conical, compressed, culminated, angular, and wedge-shaped at the point. Tongue long and extensile, worm-shaped. Nostrils basal, oval and open, concealed by the reflected, bristly feathers at the base of the bill. Wings with the first quill very short, the second of mean length, the third and fourth the longest. Tail composed of twelve, sometimes ten, elastic, stiff, and sharp-pointed feathers. Feet robust, formed for climbing; two toes before, and two behind; the two anterior ones joined at their base, the posterior ones divided (or with three only, two before and one behind); armed with very strong and hooked claws. The birds of this genus inhabit the forests, and live solitary. Are true climbers, and move along the trunks and branches of trees readily, but always in an upward direction. They feed on the various insects and larvæ that find a nidus in the bark and decayed' wood, and which they obtain by means of their strong angular bill, and long extensile tongue, armed at the point with sharpreflected bristles. They build in holes of trees, occasionally of their own formation. The males are distinguished by an occipital band, generally of a red colour, or by moustaches. Their moult is simple, and the young differ from the adults only during the interval that elapses from quitting the nest to the first (or autumnal) moult. Their stomach is membranaceous, and they are without the cæcum. A a 2 Food. GREEN WOODPECKER. PICUS VIRIDIS, Linn. PLATE XXXVIII. FIG. 1. Picus viridis, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 175. 12.-Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 433. sp. 12.— Le Pic vert, Buff. Ois. v. 7. p. 23. t. 1.—Id. Pl. Enl. 371. and 879.—Temm. Grunspecht, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 2. p. 1007.-Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. Green Woodpecker, Br. Zool. I. No. 84.-Arct. Zool. 2. p. 277. B.— PROVINCIAL-Woodspite, Rain Bird, High-Hoe, Hew-Hole, Awl THIS species, the type of that group of Woodpeckers distinguished by their olive or green plumage, and forming Mr SWAINSON'S genus Chrysoptilus, is a common inhabitant of all the wooded parts of England and Scotland, and is well known by its loud and peculiar cry, which, frequently repeated, is supposed to prognosticate rain, and from which it has obtained the provincial name of the Rain Bird.* The Green Woodpecker feeds chiefly upon the insects that live in the bark, or that form their receptacles by boring the de * I may take this opportunity of observing, that the habits of animals and birds are perhaps, when thoroughly understood, the best barometers we possess. There is no doubt that their bodily temperament, from not being acted upon by mental affections, and being preserved by regularity of diet in a more uniform state, is far more equably susceptible of the approach of changes of weather than our own. That domestic animals ex hibit sometimes irritability, and sometimes heaviness, previous to such changes, is very evident. Our observations on the feathered tribe are of course more limited; but such influence has been remarked in the habits of domestic pigeons, and in rooks, and I have before noticed a similar effect in my account of the Golden Eagle. It cayed wood of trees; which last it is well enabled to reach by the aid of its strong and wedge-shaped bill, penetrating without difficulty to the nidus of the larva. Its long vermiform and extensile tongue is also of service in extracting the smaller insects from the crevices of the bark, where they so often lie concealed. This singular instrument, in addition to a glutinous substance constantly exuding from its surface, is armed at the point with sharp reflected bristles, acting like the barbs of an arrow in preventing the escape of its prey. The above description shews the tongue to be well adapted for the capture of the ant, an insect of which the Green Woodpecker is particularly fond, and on which account it is oftener seen on the ground than the other species. Under a deficiency of its usual food, it will eat nuts. scales the trunks and branches of trees with facility and swiftness, either in an upright or a spiral direction; but none of the species that frequent this country are able, as has been asserted, to descend, as well as to ascend, with equal readiness. When they wish to descend, it is effected by moving backward, as I have repeatedly observed. This peculiarity of motion seems to be the consequence of the structure of the bird, in which the preponderance is thrown considerably forward. The legs of this bird are short and strong, and, by the disposition of the toes, and the form of the claws, it is enabled to maintain a firm hold in a perpendicular direction, in which position it is materially assisted by the stiff-deflected tail-feathers. It lays its eggs in trees, perforating a round hole, sometimes of considerable depth; for which purpose it selects those in a decaying state, or of the softer kinds of wood, such as the aspen (Populus tremula), to which it is very partial. When thus engaged, the strokes are repeated with such velocity, that the head is scarcely perceived to move, and the sound, it is said, may be heard distinctly at the distance of half a mile.*—It makes no • It also makes a jarring noise in the spring, which may be heard at some distance, and which appears to be a note-call of both sexes to each other. Nest &c. nest, but the eggs, four or five in number, and of a bluishwhite colour, are deposited on the bare wood, at the bottom of the hole. General descrip tion. PLATE 38. Fig. 1. natural size. Base of the bill, nasal bristles, and region surrounding the eyes, black. Crown of the head and moustaches arterial blood-red; the base of the feathers bluish-grey. Hind part of the neck, upper part of the back, and wingcoverts siskin-green, inclining to sap-green. Lower part of the back and rump gamboge-yellow. Under parts yellowish-grey, inclining to asparagus-green. Quills barred with dusky black and yellowish-grey. Tail barred with oil-green and blackish-brown. Irides greyish-white. Bill bluish-black, two inches long, and wedgeshaped. Tarsi and toes blackish-grey. Claws much hooked, black. The red upon the head of the female is not so bright, and the moustaches are generally black. The young birds, when they quit the nest, have the head of a yellowish-grey colour, with a few red feathers interspersed. The green of the upper parts is duller, and varied with grey. The moustaches are also imperfect. The lower parts yellowish-grey, with darker transverse bars. The irides are bluish-grey. |