IIG WOODPECKERS. 



black bars. The case is interesting, and sliows how nearly 

 alike in color distinct species may be. In size, however, 

 the difference is more noticeable, the Plairy being nearly 

 three inches the longer. 



In life the Hairy is a somewhat shier bird, fonder of 

 the forest than of the orchard. His j;^^A' note is louder 

 and shar23er than that of the Downy, and his rattling call 

 suggests that of the Kingfisher. 



The gayly colored Hed-headed Woodpecker is as 



erratic in his goings and comings as he is striking in 



_ , , , , dress. In the northeastern States he is 



xted-headcd 



Woodpecker, locally common in summer, and if well 



Melanerpes Supplied with bcechnuts, may remain 



erythrocephaius. (^^ring the winter. Some years the 



Plate XXV. -1 1 1 1 1 • 1 



grayish headed young birds are excep- 

 tionally abundant in the fall, but their white wing-patch- 

 es, which show so conspicuously when they fly, and their 

 loud, rolling call of her-r-mick^ Tcer-r-riicli^ are unmistak- 

 able marks of identity. 



The most interesting of our Woodpeckers is the 

 Flicker, or High-hole, whose popularity is attested by 



Flicker ^^^ ^^®^ ^^ ^^ ^^®^ *^^^ thirty odd com- 



Coiaptes auratus. mou namcs. Surcly here is an instance 

 Plate XXVI. illustrating the necessity of one sci- 

 entific term by which the " Piquebois jaune " of Louisi- 

 ana may be recognized as the " Clape " of New York. 

 He is also a Yucker, a Flicker, and a Yellow-ham- 

 mer ; all these names being based on his notes or plu- 

 mage. 



The Flicker is less of a carpenter than are others of 

 his family, and generally selects decayed logs and stumps 

 as his hunting grounds. Here he hunts for his favorite 

 food of ants, which he also procures at their holes and 

 mounds. This is the reason we so often flush the Flicker 

 from the ground, and, if we mark the spot from which he 



