354 



THH RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 



catchers; besides fruits and berries of many sorts, including cherries, apples. 

 and pears, and in fall and winter beech nuts and acorns. This varied fare is 

 not resorted to upon mere compulsion, but it is sought with avidity: 50 thai 

 it is no wonder that the bird thrives in any situation. Whether or not the 

 Woodpeckers will remain through the winter in any given section, seems to 

 depend entirely upon the local crop of beech nuts, or "mast." No mast, no 

 Red-heads, is the clearly proven rule. In case the bird decides to "lie over", 

 nuts and acorns are gathered and stored in crevices and holes against the com- 

 ing season; and we may suppose that it is a matter of indifference to the bird 

 whether it gets the nut kernels originally deposited, or a transmuted product 

 of weevils and grubs.. 



Those birds which have not wintered hereabouts, consti- 



/OODPECKEK ROW. 



tuting as thev do the great majority, return north from the middle of April to 



the first of May. Then the w Is and groves soon resound with their loud 



calls, Quec-o — quee-o — queer. These queer cries are not unpleasant, but the 

 birds are a noisy lot at best. When one of them flies into a tree where others are 

 gathered, all set up an outcry of yarrow, yarrow, yarrow, which does not sub- 

 side until the newcomer has had time to shake hands all around at least twice. 

 Besides these more familiar sounds the Red-heads boast an unfathomed reper- 

 tory of chirping, cackling, and raucous noises. The youngsters, especially, — 

 awkward, saucy fellows that most of them are — sometimes get together and 

 raise a fearful racket until some of the older ones, out-stentored. interpose. 



