246 Sketches of Some Common Birds. 



guiltless of thus hurting trees, and they are unfortunate 

 in being thus classed by inaccurate observers and thought- 

 less persons. The horticulturist who has seen the downy 

 woodpecker carefully searching along a branch of an apple 

 tree in his orchard knows that the attention of the little 

 gleaner is given solely to the decayed parts of the tree or 

 to spots infested by destructive larvse, and hence no dam- 

 age is done by its boring into the bark. In fact, its en- 

 deavors tend to prolong the life of the tree or branch, and 

 the farmer who persecutes this hardy friend or permits it 

 to be molested on his premises must be sadly deficient in 

 the knowledge of his interests. 



The winter movements of this sprightly little wood- 

 pecker bring it before the notice of those who seldom visit 

 the woods, for then it frequently comes into the trees 

 along the highways and in our door-yards, apprising us 

 of its presence by the sharp metallic call peculiar to it 

 and its larger companion. Like the chickadee, the downy 

 woodpecker is very social. It is often seen roving with 

 the chickadee, very frequently enlivening our door-yards 

 with cheerful calls and sprightly movements. The chick- 

 adees and nuthatches come into our yards in little stroll- 

 ing companies, and among them is usually a downy wood- 

 pecker, for the downy seldom seeks the company of its 

 own kind. It generally falls in with the roving nut- 

 hatches and titmice, and its sharp "pleek" is a common 

 accompaniment to the hoarse "quank"of the white- 

 breasted nuthatch and the cheerful chatter of the chicka- 

 dee. The downy frequently travels as a companion to the 

 hairy woodpecker, and the loud " pleek " of the big fellow 

 generally finds an echo in the somewhat weaker call of 

 his little consort. 



When we hear the sharp, clear call of the downy wood- 

 pecker, we must look for him clinging to the trunk or a 

 lower branch of a convenient tree. He settles himself 

 securely against his support, bracing himself with the 

 stiff, sharp feathers of the tail, and is soon drilling a 

 minute tunnel into the inner bark in search of the eggs 

 and larvae of the insect foes of the tree. His strong, 

 chisel like bill is well adapted to this sort of work, and 

 when the insect is reached in its woody burrow, the viscid, 



