. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . Fig. 175.—Cuban Trogon. Woodpeckers. The Birds which compose this family are characterised by a ratherlong, conical, pointed beak, and by a very extensible tongue. Theyform two genera. Woodpeckers and Wry-necks. Woodpeckers excel in the art of climbing, but they do notperform it in the same manner as Parrots. They accomplish their D D 4S0 /REPTILES AND BIRDS, ascension by extending their toes, supplied with bent claws, upon thetrunk of a tree, and maintain them
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . Fig. 175.—Cuban Trogon. Woodpeckers. The Birds which compose this family are characterised by a ratherlong, conical, pointed beak, and by a very extensible tongue. Theyform two genera. Woodpeckers and Wry-necks. Woodpeckers excel in the art of climbing, but they do notperform it in the same manner as Parrots. They accomplish their D D 4S0 /REPTILES AND BIRDS, ascension by extending their toes, supplied with bent claws, upon thetrunk of a tree, and maintain themselves hanging there ; then movethemselves a little farther by a sudden and jerked skip, and so movements are facilitated by the disposition of the tail, formed. Fig. 176.—Ivory-billed Woodpeckers. of Straight resistant feathers, slightly worn away at their extremities,which, pressed against a tree, serve as a support to the bird. Thanksto this organisation. Woodpeckers traverse trees in every direction—downwards, upwards, or horizontally. Woodpeckers are of a timidand restless disposition; they Hve alone in the midst or on the THE WOODPECKER S TONGUE. 45^1 borders of large forests. Insects and their larvae form their nourish-ment; which they seek in the trunks and clefts of trees. Theirtongue is wonderfully suited for this purpose. It is very long,and, by a peculiar mechanism, can be projected out far enough toreach objects three or four inches away. The beak is terminatedby a horny point bristling with small hooks. In many species it isoverlaid with a sticky humour, secreted by two voluminous glandsthe effect of which is to catchthe insects which it the bird darts thistongue into the crevices, itdraws it out more or less
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectrep
