THE FLICKER. 63 



the j^^enerally accepted theor}^ that it acts as an anti-fat agent, 

 but the result of his examination tends to prove that wild 

 l:)irds which were gorged with the berries were alwaj's in good 

 condition and frequently quite fat. 



When the gumberries ripen in September and October, the 

 sour gumtree (A/j'ssa Sylvatica) is the centre of attraction, and 

 its fruit the staple food. If the Flicker is fond of other fruits 

 it loves the gumberry. At this period of its existence it is in 

 the very best of condition, and hundreds are annually shot for 

 food and sport, being, as a southern observer says, fully as 

 good eating as Doves. Man 3' a country Ijoy's first game has 

 been this large, handsome and palatable bird while it was glut- 

 tonoush' feeding upon gumberries. Picture if you can a calm, 

 hazy, autumnal sky, a cool, green, swampy meadow in which 

 grows an old gum tree wntli its deep-green wax-like leaves 

 already turning to scarlet ; the boy creeping Indian fashion 

 from bush to bush or along the old worm fence ; the slight de- 

 gree of uncertainty highly magnified makes it all the more 

 fascinating to him. The murderous report of the old nuisket 

 loaded with a generous and well-rammed charge of coarse 

 black powder and large shot, the whirl of many wings fol- 

 lowed immediately b)' the scream of the wounded, appeals but 

 momentarily to his better nature. Stimulated b}' excitement 

 he hurriedly gathers the dead, wrings the necks of the 

 wounded, and retires within easy gunshot. In a few minutes 

 the Warblers, Cedarbirds and Thrushes appear, shortly fol- 

 lowed by the Robins ; the Flickers scattered to the four 

 winds, call from tree to tree, and finally a young male, totally 

 lacking in experience, flies straight for the tree on galloping 

 wings. He .sees nothing suspicious, and after a lusty, long- 

 drawn call, which apparently means "all's well," plunges 

 deep into the foliage to greedily partake of the tempting ban- 

 quet. The bulk now come trooping in, racing with the Blue 

 Jays, and the clatter becomes deafening when "bang" goes 

 the gun, down come several more victims, and again the sur- 

 vivors go scurrying away, only to return as before and repeat 

 the experience, gradually becoming more and more warj', until 

 those that are left become so wild and alert as to defy the gun- 

 shot range. Unfortunately this slaughter does not end with 

 the boys, but is often carried on more or less systematically by 



