138 



INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1904. 



with yellow shafts ; black spot on side of throat under eye ; side of 

 head and throat dove color, black crescent on breast ; lower breast 

 and under parts white, more or less washed with light brown, and 

 marked with large, round, black dots ; tail beneath yellow ; long 

 feathers of wing yellow below, and with yellow shafts. The female 

 lacks the streak or spot on the side of the throat. Length, twelve 

 inches. Nests in holes in trees. This familiar bird, whose call we 

 associate with the warm promising days of early spring, before the? 



Fig. 132. — Flicker. From Biological Survey U. S. Dep. of Agriculture. 



leaves appear on the trees, dififers from the other Woodpeckers in 

 being something of a ground feeder. It eats wood-boring grubs, to 

 be sure, but is very fond of ants, and is quite apt to be discovered 

 dining on the ground before a large ant hill. Two stomachs exam- 

 ined contained over 3,000 ants each. The Flicker occasionally takes 

 a little fruit. 



