BIRDS OF KANSAS. 329 



trees to suck the sap. and so destroy its vegetation, thonoh pine 

 and other resinous trees, on the juice of which it is not pre- 

 tended that they feed, are often found equally perforated. Were 

 the sap of the ti-ee their object, the saccharine juice of the birch, 

 the sugar maple and several others would be much more invit- 

 ing, because more sweet and nourishing than that of either pear 

 or apple tree; but I have not observed one mark on the former 

 for ten thousand that may be seen on the latter; besides, the 

 early part of the spring is the season when the sap flows most 

 abundantly, whereas it is only during the months of September, 

 October and November that Woodpeckers are seen so indefati- 

 gably engaged in orchards, probing every crack and crevice, 

 boring through the bark, and, what is worth remarking, chiefly 

 on the south and southwest sides of the tree, for the eggs and 

 larvae deposited there by the countless swarms of summer in- 

 sects. These, if suffered to remain, would prey upon the very 

 vitals (if I may so express it) of the tree, and in the succeeding 

 summer give birth to myriads more of their race, equally de- 

 structive. ' ' 



For the above supposed reason, the birds so beneficial, and in 

 no sense injurious, are frequently misnamed "Sapsuckers," a 

 term not applicable to any of our Woodpeckers, except genus 

 Sphyrajncus. 



The nests are excavated in decaying limbs, or bodies of small 

 trees, usually ten to fifteen feet from the ground (the apple tree 

 a favorite); the entrance round and just large enough to admit 

 the bird, then smoothly chipped downward for several inches, 

 and enlarged to fit the body. Eggs four or five, rarely six, .75 

 X.58; pure crystal white; in form, rather subspherical. 



Genus SPHYRAPICUS Baird. 

 "Bill as in Pkus, but the lateral ridge, which is very prominent, running out 

 distinctly to the commissure at about its middle, beyond which tlie bill is 

 rounded, without any angles at all. The culmeu and gouys are very nearly 

 straight, but slightly convex, the bill tapering rapidly to a point; the lateral out- 

 line concave to very near the slightly beveled tip. Outer pair of toes longest; 

 the hinder exterior rather longest; the inner posterior too very short, less than 

 the inner anterior without its claw. Wings long and pointed; the third, ex- 

 cluding the spurious, longest. Tail feathers very broad, abruptly acuminate, 

 with a very long linear tip. Tongue scarcely extensible." 



