a Statlt0l^t STtafletfs 95 



About six inches below the limb was a 

 round dark hole, three or four inches in 

 diameter. Toward this hole the raccoon 

 carefully wriggled, and with a sudden 

 stealthy motion thrust his pointed nose 

 into the old apple-tree. 



There was a frightened squawk, and a 

 furious beating inside, but the struggle 

 was very brief, for in a few seconds the 

 relentless hunter pulled out a golden 

 winged woodpecker, and breaking her 

 neck at a single bite, dropped her, still 

 fluttering feebly, to the ground. 



Then the inquisitive muzzle was again 

 thrust into the woodpecker's hole, but 

 the bottom of the nest was so deep that 

 he could not reach it. 



But he wished to know if there were 

 fledglings, or eggs. So he thrust in his 

 paw and easily reached the bottom of 

 the nest. One by one he raked out the 



