Fair play., 1882-09-23
WOODPECKERS.

OF all the birds that earn their living
by toll. perhaps none work aS hard As
the family of woolpcckcrS. From
morning To- nigh, they are busy as busy
can be, boring into trees in pursuit of
insects for food. or chiS"ling out holes
for the purpose of making their nests.
and often during the night, when not at
work. they sleep III the sam. painful
posture they take during the labors of
the day.
Have you ever heard this wonderful
bird work? You have seen 4 man drill
ing hole in rock am sure. and You
have asa heard the sound Of his tool.
with its click, click, click. Now the
woodpeckcr has drill that he works
with in the same way. and what do you
think it is? Nothing but his little bill.
so made that he can drill holes in the
trees. and you can hear the sound of ms
tool just rs You do that Of the blaster If
rocks.
II you were here among the beautiful
hills and valleys. You would find plenty
Of woodperkerS. and they are all carving
on these mysterious knockingS. many
times repeated. and very quickly, too.
You would be surprised. too. that any
birds So small could make themselves
heard 81 distinctly. often al a distance
of several hundred yards. working for
two hours together upon the same tree.
They seek trees that are decayed in
tn. trunk and branches. because wise
little birds know well that insects are
seldom found in live wood.
But how about the queer instrument
that performs this ar,lunus work? IL is
n curious cOntrivance enough. more
like a chisel than anything else. il is
hard and solid. too. AMI is worked by
powerful muscles. which act upon the
neck and direct its iDcessant blows.
sometimes penetrating even TO the pith
of the wood.
But wonderful as this instrument is.
there is Vet another inside of it more
cur:ons. on purpose for pulling ont the
very long, straight iongne, which ends
in hard. bOny point like a needle or
thorn. This is arranged with sharp
teeth, pointing backward. very much
like the barbs of iish-hoOk. Is this
not curious arrangement? two insiru-
ments in one.
But how can the bird manage to use
them both at the same time? Let US
see While the wOOipecker is busy at
his drilling. the two parts OF his bill are
closed tightly together. making q good
wedye-poin;ed drill. and AT the same
time snug cage for the insect catcher.
As soon "a he comes TO an insect, he
opens this drill and pushes this long
,r-,,h bnyt,..I And int tho is,
sect and quickly draws it into lis mouth.
Now. because he has TO strike 80 hard
| in drilliny, the bones Of his head Oh
skull are made much stronger and
thicker than most birds, for you know
that such heavy blows would jar them
! too much If ihev were weak heads
And God knew all this when He made
the woodpecker. and provided for it.
Not only that. but in doing this hard
drilling he must hold On tightly and
firmly, or ne would Sip. as soon as he
began 10 work. and here rs provision
too-he has given him a most singular
claw. consisting of four thick toes. two
turned forward and two backyard, the
one resembling a spear, being !onges
and s.outest, and joined 20 a very shor'
and muscular foot, which enables the
bird to cling very firmly. and creeI
in all directions around the trunks o.
trees.
His tail. 100, with its ten stiff quill
bent inwards and ending in stiff. har,
points. is used as sort OF rest. wheel
be is employed in an uncomfortable po
sitiou-
About the last Of Nav the woodpeck
ers prepare to build their nests. The,
have good deal of hard word TO dc