The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-09-14
THE WOODPECKER.

OF all the birds that earn their living
by toll, perhaps none work as hard as
the family of wOodpeckers. From
morning to night they are busy as busy
can be, boring into trees in pursuit of
insects for food, or chiseling out holes
for the purpose of making their nests,
and often during the night, when not at
work, they sleep in the same painful
posture they take during the labors of
the day.
Have you ever heard this wonderful
bird wOrkp You have seen a man drill
ing a hole in a rock | am sure. and you
have also heard the sound of his tool,
with its click, click, click. Now the
woodpecker 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 his
tool just as you do that of the blaster of
rocks.
If you were here among tho beautiful
hills and valleys, you would find plenty
of woodpeckers, and they are all carrying
on these mysterious knockings, many
times repeated. and very gu ckly, too.
You would be surprised, too, that any
birds so small could make themselves
heard so distinctly, often at distance
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two hours together upon the same tree.
They seek trees that are decayed in
the 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 arduous workP It is
curious cOntrivance enough, more
like a chisel than anything else, it is
hard and solid, too, and is worked by
powerful muscles, which act upon the
neck and direct its incessant blows,
sometimes penetrating even to the pith
of the wood.
But wonderful as this instrument is,
there is yet another inside of II more
curious, on purpose for pulling out the
worm or insect it finds in drillinQ-a
very long, straight tongue, which ends
in hard, bony point like q needle or
thorn. This is arranged with sharp
teeth, pointing backward, very much
| like the barbs of fish-hook. rs this
not curious arrangement? two instru-
ments in one.
But how can the bird manage to use
| them both at the same time? Let us
see While the woOdpecker is busy at
his drilling, the two parts OF his bill are
closed tightly together making good
wedge pointed drill, and at the same
time "A snug cage for the insect catcher.
! As soon as he comes to an insect, he
opens this drill and pushes this long
| tongue with its barbed end into the in
sect and quickly draws it into its mouth.
Now, because he has to strike 50 hard
| in drilling, the bones Of his head or
| skull are made much stronger and
| thicker than most birds, for you know
/ that such heavy blows would jar them
/ too much if they were weak heads.
/ And God knew all this when lie made
the woodpecker, and provided for it.
Not only chat, but in doing this hard
/ drilling he must hold on tightly and
| firmly, or he would slip, as soon as he
began TO work, and here is a provision,
too-he has given him most singular
/ claw, consisting of four thick toes, two
| turned forward and two backward, the
one resembling a spear, being longest
and stOutest, and joined 20 a very short
and muscular foot, which enables the
bird to cling very firmly, and creep
in all directions around the trunks Of
1 trees
His tail. too. with its ten stiff quills
bent inwards aud ending in stifT, hard
/ points, is used as a sort of rest, when
he is employed in an uncomfortable po-
sition.
About the last of May the woodpeck-
/ ers prepare to build their nests. They
have a good deal of hard word to do
/ beforehand. The male bird takes the
first steps by cutting a hole out Of the
solid wood as round as If done by pair
of compasses. He is occasionally re-
lieved by the female both working
with great diligence, and although they
bore six or eight inches down into the
trunk of the tree, making their nests
very roomy. and as smooth as if polished
by an experienced hand, they are sell
dom more than q week in their con-
struction. Though the nest is 50 large:
the entrance is Just fitted to the size OF
the owner. Often while they are work
ing they carry out the chips, strewing
them at a distance. TO pre- ent sus-
picion. When all is completed. the