140 WOODPECKERS. 



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

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

 the difference is more noticeable, the Hairy being nearly 

 three inches the longer. 



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

 the forest than of the orchard. Jihj}eeJt note is louder 

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

 suowsts that of the Kino^lisher. 



The gayly colored Eed-headed "Woodpecker is as 

 erratic in his goings and comings as he is striking in 

 dress. In the northeastern States he is 

 Woodpecker. lc)cally common in summer, and if well 

 Mdanerpcs Supplied witli beechnuts, may remain 



trythrocejMus. ^^^^^^ the winter. Some years the 

 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 'ker-r-ruck^ her-r-mic'k^ are unmistak- 

 able marks of identity. 



The most interesting of our Woodpeckers is the 



Flicker, or High-hole, whose j)oj)ularity is attested by 



Flicker -^^^ ^^®^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ than thirty odd com- 



Colaptes auratus. mon names. Surely 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 ]N^ew 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 



