Of these only three or four kinds are found in Great Britain. Their characters are striking, and their manners singular. The bill is large, strong, and fitted for its employment: the end of it is formed like a wedge, with which it pierces the bark of trees, and bores into the wood in which its food is lodged. Its neck is short and thick, and furnished with powerful muscles, which enables it to strike with such force as to be heard at a considerable distance: its tongue is long and taper; at the end of it there is a hard horny substance, which penetrates into the crevices of trees, and extracts the insects and their eggs which are lodged there: the tail consists of ten stiff, sharp-pointed feathers, bent inwards, by which it supports itself on the trunks of trees while in search of food; for this purpose its feet are short and thick, and its toes, which are placed two forward and two backward, are armed with strong hooked claws, by which it clings firmly, and creeps up and down in all directions.—Bewick.
Woodpigeon, s. A wild pigeon; one that builds in trees.
This species weighs about twenty ounces; length eighteen inches. The bill yellowish; irides light yellow; the head, coverts of the wings, and scapulars are of a deep bluish ash colour; the neck and breast vinaceous, beautifully glossed with green and copper colour, changeable in different lights; on each side the neck is a large patch of glossy white, which almost joins behind; the back and tail ash colour, the latter black at the end; vent and thighs white, tinged with ash colour; the bastard wing almost black, behind which a few of the coverts are white, forming a line down to the greater quills, which are dusky, edged with white; the legs are feathered much below the knee, which, with the feet, are of a purplish red. There is little or no distinction in the plumage of the sexes; but the female is not quite so large.
Woodward, s. obs. A forester.
A subject who has lived within a forest, according to usage, ought to have a woodward; and if he does not appear at the justice seat, the wood shall be seized into the king’s hands, till he makes fine and replevy it; and if he do not replevy it within a year, it shall remain in the king’s hands for ever.
Wool, s. The fleece of sheep, that which is woven into cloth; any short thick hair.
Woolly, a. Consisting of wool; clothed with wool; resembling wool.
Worm, s. A small harmless serpent that lives in the earth; a poisonous serpent; animal bred in the body; the animal that spins silk; grubs that gnaw wood and furniture; anything vermiculated or turned round; anything spiral; a favourite bait in angling.
When the day is dark or lowering, and a gentle whistling wind plays on the water, or a fine mizzling rain falls without violence; likewise when trout leap out of the water, and pike shoot after other fishes; and also when a sudden shower has mudded and raised the water, if the angler tries on the sides of the stream at the ground, with brandling, gilt tail, or red worm, well scoured, he will have diversion.