A FAMILY OF BACKWOODSMEN. 45 



The little Downy Woodpecker is rarely or never 

 seen on the ground, but the Flicker spends much of 

 his time Jhere. He sits differently, too, when he is 

 on a tree; not along it, like his relatives, but across, as 

 most birds do. If you were to consult the head of the 

 family, the big, black woodpecker of the north, he 

 might shake his head and say, " I am afraid Cousin 

 Flicker is degenerating. If he does not look out 

 and mend his ways, he won't be a woodpecker at all 

 before long." 



But how is little Downy able to stand as you 

 see him in the picture, and how does he manage to 

 dodge around the trunk of a tree, as I have often seen 

 him do.^ 



In the first place, his tail feathers are very stiff, and 

 end in such sharp points that by pressing them close 

 to the rough bark he can get a great deal of support 

 from them. You wdll hear later of another bird, who 

 uses his tail to climb chimneys with. Then, too, his 

 claws are arranged, not like a sparrow's, three in front 

 and one behind, but in pairs, two in front and two 

 behind. 



One of the hind pair, however, can be moved off 

 to the side, and with this, if he is suddenly pursued, 

 he can pull himself so quickly to the other side of 

 the tree that even a hawk cannot strike him. 



There are many other interesting things to learn 



