THE GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. 79 



peep with his lover around the broken-off top or limb of 

 some dead tree ! 



His flight is swift, vigorous and dashing; is performed in 

 curves by a few flaps of the wings, curving upward several 

 feet when alighting on the trunk of a tree, but ending hori- 

 zontally when alighting cross-wise on limbs, after the man- 

 ner of perching birds. In manner, as in structure, he is not 

 precisely like the rest of his family. At home anywhere 

 from the tallest tree-top to the ground, and always in a 

 hurry when afoot, he will capture his insect food after the 

 manner of Robins and Sparrows. Ants of all sizes are spe- 

 cially in favor with him. Why he should have such a 

 decided preference for this dry diet it is difficult to conceive 

 — perhaps on account of the tickling sensation which large 

 numbers of these vigorous little creatures may afford when 

 taken alive into the stomach. In summer and in autumn, 

 when these birds are sometimes exceedingly numerous, they 

 do not disdain certain kinds of small fruit, as wild grapes 

 and elderberries. 



The nidification of this species is so much like that of 

 other Woodpeckers as to need no special notice, except in 

 two particulars, viz., that Flicker frequently chooses a 

 much decayed stub, and that the eggs are especially trans- 

 lucent and beautiful, the yolk appearing through the shell 

 when fresh. It may perhaps be added that the eggs are 

 sometimes laid at irregular intervals and in extraordinary 

 numbers. 



About the size of a Pigeon, some 12.50 length and 

 19.00 extent, with bill slightly curved, its head and neck 

 are of a purplish-drab, with a scarlet crescent on the back of 

 the head, and, in the male, a black spot on each cheek at 

 the base of the bill; upper parts greenish-brown, spotted with 

 black; rump white and very conspicuous in flight; under 



