252 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



Rarely have I seen among birds greater evi- 

 dence of domestic happiness. Often while one 

 is feeding the fledglings, the other will arrive 

 and await on a neighboring limb his turn in 

 this oft-repeated process. Then are heard low 

 chuckles, soft and affectionate, language which 

 I have never before discovered in the Wood- 

 pecker vocabulary. For some time they seem to 

 talk over their household affairs in tones of 

 great amiability, perhaps discussing the remark- 

 able growth of their interesting youngsters, the 

 naming of the different members, when their 

 education shall begin, and various other im- 

 portant affairs. Then away they go to take up 

 the food problem again. 



After observing their goings and comings for 

 several days I have concluded that the amount 

 of food required by a family of young Hairies 

 is nothing short of marvelous. On an average, 

 one of the parents returns every five minutes, 

 and I see them plying back and forth during all 

 the hours of daylight. The loud " rat-a-tat-tat'^ 

 of one or both is nearly always audible in the 

 clearing, and the fledglings must be growing 

 rapidly. 



In a few days black and white heads appeared 

 in the doorway and the approach of a parent 

 was the signal for an eager outstretching of 

 necks. Their voices grew in volume with their 

 bodies and the faint squeaks became a jargon 

 of hungry shrieks. 



Anxiously I awaited the day when the young 

 would leave their sheltering roof trees for their 

 first instructions in flying, tree clinging, wood 



