The Audubon Societies 



371 



Moreover, the Flicker is a good bird to know. This woodland drummer is venturing 

 into cities where it is adapting itself to civilization. One has taken up its abode in a 

 telephone pole, within sight of my home, and its reveille on tin roofs may be heard 

 nearly every morning. It seems as pleased with this new invention as a boy with a new 

 drum. An old barn at home has been a 

 Flicker hotel for years. These facts may 

 be an indication of how other birds might 

 fall into civilized habits if we should 

 meet them half way. If we can develop 

 an appreciative interest in these things 

 in our boys and girls, we will have taken 

 a long step toward gaining this end. 



Lesson I. Field Observations. — The 

 teacher should become acquainted with 

 a Flicker rendezvous, or retreat, as the 

 species is usually solitary, and take the 

 class to visit the place. The pupils must 

 approach on the alert, "all eyes and 

 ears,'' for any secrets which the birds 



may divulge. Suddenly one flies up 



from the ground. What color did it 



show when it flew? (White rump.) 



What was the path of its flight? (A 



wavy, up-and-down motion. When the 



wings went down the bird went up, and 



vice versa.) Someone should make a 



drawing on the ground, to show the 



manner of flight. If the pupils do not 



observe these points, they must sharpen 



their eyes for another trial. What was the 



Flicker probably doing on the ground? 



(Feeding.) All birds do not eat the 



same food. If we would like to know 



what the Flicker was eating when we 



disturbed its feast, let us walk to the 



place where it was feeding and investi- 

 gate. What do we find that might be 



eaten by the Flicker? (Weed seeds, bay- 

 berries, black alder, poison sumac, and 



poison ivy berries. An ant's hill might be present, as this is a favorite morsel of the 



Flicker.) The Flicker eats all of these things that we have found. We might think 



that it is a good thing for the Flicker to eat the seeds of these poisonous plants, but 



it has been found that after the waxy substance on the outside of the berry has been 



digested the seed is thrown out from the mouth. These seeds will germinate and, since 



the scattering of poisonous plants is not desirable, this cannot be placed on the credit 



side of our account with Mr. Flicker. 



Who saw where our friend went? (To an old apple tree across the field.) Let us visit 



the home of the Flicker family. On our way we may hear the Flicker call to its mates. 



If we do, let us try to tell what it says. After interpretations by the class, tell them how 



other listeners have read the call. 



"If-if-if-if-if-if-if," Burroughs; "Up, up, up, up, up, up, up," Thoreau; "Wick, 



wick, wick, wick," Mrs. Wright; "Wake-up, wake-up, wake-up, wake-up," Dr. Charles 



Fig. 2. MATERI.^L EXCHANGED WITH 

 DISTANT SCHOOLS. THIS SHOWS THE 

 WORK OF THE CALIFORNIA WOODPECKER 

 IN STORING ACORNS. 



