138 INSESSORES. 



iny Woodpecker from under the cover, and a general 

 laugh took place." 



The head of this bird is ornamented with a crest 

 of long flowing plumes, which, upon the forehead, 

 are jetty black, while those of the hinder part are a 

 brilliant crimson ; the remainder of the plumage is 

 mostly black, with slight reflections of blue. A white 

 stripe, commencing at the ear, runs down each side 

 of the neck, and half way down the back. The sec- 

 ondary quills in the wings, as well as a part of the 

 primaries, are also white. 



Some of the most familiar species to the north and 

 eastward are the Red-headed Woodpecker, Golden- 

 winged Woodpecker, or Flicker, Yellow-bellied Wood- 

 pecker, and the Downy Woodpecker, or Sap-sucker. 

 Of these, the Red-headed Woodpecker may be con- 

 sidered as the most richly colored, displaying in its 

 plumage one of the finest contrasts that could well 

 be formed. The whole head and upper part of the 

 neck are of a deep crimson, set off below by pure 

 white, and above by a glossy steel blue. The second- 

 ary quills in the wings, and a broad band across the 

 rump, are also white. The beauty of this bird ren- 

 ders him an attractive mark for the sportsman, for 

 which reason the species appears to be on the de- 

 crease, and we fear that the day is not far distant 

 when it will be numbered among our scarce birds. 



Although the Red-heads undoubtedly do great 

 service to the farmer in ridding his orchard and 

 forest trees of a great number of insects, yet we can- 

 not conceal the fact that their indulging in a fond- 



