THE FLICKER. 65 



on the ground after the crop has been gathered ; also on the 

 berries of holly and cedar (Brimley). According to Baker, 

 specimens from Florida often contain the berries of the cabbage 

 palmetto. The large amount of insect food secured by a Geor- 

 gia bird in January has been already commented upon. 



It is presumed that where a large number of telegraph 

 poles are perforated or honey-combed, it is not always with 

 the intention to nest, but that the motive is most often sug- 

 gested by the humming of the wires which it probably mis- 

 takes for the boring of insects. It must be admitted, how- 

 ever, that this occurs almost wholly in treeless localities like 

 Cape Cod and Nantucket, Mass., and the great plains of the 

 West. It performs a good service in scattering the seeds of 

 many useful plants and trees, not among the least of which 

 is the pokeberry, whose young and tender shoots are so highly 

 esteemed in the culinary art. It doubtless assists in the^pread 

 of the poison ivy {Rhus radicans) and poi.son shumac or poison 

 dogwood {R. vcrnix), since it eats the berries in the fall and 

 winter seasons. 



