WOODPECKERS. 329 



back settlements, are his favorite retreats, whence he sallies 

 out to make his depredations. He is fond of the ripe berries 

 of the sour gum ; and pays pretty regular visits to the cherry 

 trees, when loaded with fruit. Towards Fall he often ap- 

 j^roaches the barn or farm house, and raps on the shingles and 

 weather boards. He is of a gay and frolicsome disposition ; 

 and half a dozen of the fraternity are frequently seen diving 

 and vociferating around the high dead limbs of some large 

 tree, pursuing and playing with each other, and amusing the 

 passenger with their gambols. Their note or cry is shrill and 

 lively, and so much resembles that of a species of tree-frog 

 which frequents the same tree, that it is sometimes difficult to 

 distinguish the one from the other." 



Wilson eloquently defends this bird, proving his beneficial 

 nature. He adds : " The Red-headed Woodpecker is, prop- 

 erly speaking, a bird of passage, though even in the eastern 

 states individuals are found during moderate winters, as well 

 as in the states of New York and Pennsylvania ; in Carolina 

 they are somewhat more numerous during that season, but 

 not one tenth of what are found in summer. They make 

 their appearance in Pennsylvania about the first of May ; and 

 leave us about the middle of October." 



III. SPHYRAPICUS. 



A. VARius. Yellow-hellied Woodpecker. ^^^ In Massa- 

 chusetts, chiefly a migrant.* 



a. About 8^- inches long. Wings and tail, black and 

 white. Above, brownish or yellowish, marked with black. 

 Beneath, yellowish ; sides, black-streaked. Crown-patch, 

 scarlet; throat-patch, scarlet, or in § whitish. Border 

 of both patches, and eye-stripe, black. Head otherwise 

 white or yellowish. 



5. The nest is to be found in woods or sometimes orchards. 



119 A Mexican species, Melanerpes county, Massachusetts. Elsewhere in 



aurifrons^ bears the same name. southern New England, it is known 



* This Woodpecker breeds very only as a spring and autumn migrant, 



commonly throughout the primitive occurring very numerously at some 



forests of northern New England, and localities, at others, in limited numbers 



sparingly on Mt. Graylock, in Berkshire only. — W. B. 



