188 



BIRDS IX THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



plaints against tliis woodpecker besides that of killing useful 

 beetles. It sometimes devours cultivated fruits, — blackberries, 

 strawberries, cherries, apples, pears, etc., — thereby raising 

 the farmer's ire, and at times robs birds' nests of their young. 

 On the other hand, many of the beetles and other insects are 

 harmful and most of its vegetable food is valueless. Even 

 though it were proved that its food habits were against it, a 



SPINES ON ROOF OF TONGUE. 

 Magnified. {After Luras.) 



TONGUE OF RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 

 Magnified. {After Lucaa.) 



bird of its rare beauty is worth seeing now and then, though 

 we may have to pay for the pleasure. 



One of the most notable illustrations of the value of wood- 

 peckers has been l)rouglit to light through the investigations 

 of spruce insects in the Northeast by Dr. A. D. Hopkins, 

 forest entomologist of the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture. Dr. Hopkins found that great damage was being 



