File:A history of British birds. By the Rev. F.O. Morris (1862) (14565126947).jpg

Identifier: historyofbritish02morr (find matches)
Title: A history of British birds. By the Rev. F.O. Morris ..
Year: 1862 (1860s)
Authors: Morris, F. O. (Francis Orpen), 1810-1893
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: London, Groombridge and Sons
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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is by no means so easy as it might thereforebe thought. Let the thoughtful artist then devoutly wonderat the unspeakable beauty of the varieties which the handof Almighty power and wisdom has pourtrayed in the fowlsof the ail*, as in all the other wonderful works of natme,which God created and made. This handsome species is a native of Europe, being foundin more or less plenty, according to the suitableness of thelocality, in Russia, Siberia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Scandinavia,France, and Holland; also in Africa; and in Egypt, accordingto Meyer. It is common throughout England, and, according to Selby,in Scotland, that is to say, in all the wooded districts. InIreland its occurrence has not yet been authenticated. These birds roost early, and repose in their holes at night.The young run on the trees before they are able to fly, andif then captured are easily tamed. Like the rest of its tribe, this species only ascends, for themost part obliquely^ on the trees; any descent is performed
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f/i// J/Jm ■ GREEN WOODPECZEE. aEEEN WOODPECKEE. 77 by a retrograde motion. It alights near the base, and,tapping at intervals to alarm any hidden insects, quicklymakes its way to the higher part of the bole, from whichit flies dowTiwards to another tree, or to another part ofthe same one, to commence again de novo. Occasionally itmay be seen in strong hedges. In severe weather it ap-proaches villages and farms, searching for its food in the wallsof old buildings and barns, as well as in the neighbouringtrees. The flight of this bird is generally short, from tree totree, heavy and laboured, the wings being rapidly fluttered,and producing a rustling noise; it gains a long reach by theimpetus it has acquired, and then drops, the effort requiringto be renewed. On the ground it walks horizontally, the taildraofo-ino: after it. The laugh of the Green Woodpecker, for so is its harshnote of glu, glu, glu, gluck designated, is supposed toprognosticate rain; hence one of its trivial names. I

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