FLICKER. 
_utters a metallic chink, chink, while he is at work, ora 
quick succession of these syllables as he flies to another 
tree. The notes of the Hairy Woodpecker are about the 
same, but louder. Both birds in the rapid repetition of 
their notes resemble the noisy Flicker. The Downy dif. 
fers from Woodpeckers in general ; he is a sociable chap, 
for I notice he is always around when a flock of Chicka. 
dees and a Nuthatch or two are inspecting the old apple- 
trees on the grounds. I generally look for the visits of 
this self-appointed committee of investigation in early 
autumn ; probably they are continued at irregular inter- 
vals throughout the winter. 
Flicker — This is one of our largest as well as 
Golden-winged y ojsiest Woodpeckers. When he begins to 
i ae shout his monotonous information about 
auratus the rain,* all other birds may as well re- 
L. 12.00 inches main silent, for his clamor makes the 
April 1st welkin ring! Although his song is heard 
not before early spring, he is one of the few plucky birds 
which braves the severity of our northern winters and 
stays with us the year around if the food supply seems 
promising. His colors are varied : top of tle head gray ; 
3 scarlet band on the back of the neck; a patch of white 
on the lower part of the back, and considerable yellow 
showing beneath the tail and wings during flight ; back, 
upper parts of wings and secondaries brown-gray barred 
with Lfack, the primaries and tail feathers black with 
yellow shafts; throat and sides of the face pinkish 
brown ; a broad black band extending backward from 
the base of the bill, and a broad black crescent across 
the breast; lower parts dusky white marked with round 
black spots. Female similar but without the black band 
on cheeks. Nest in a deep hole probably of an apple- 
tree, the entrance ten feet up, round, and not very 
large ; the bird may or may not have excavated the 
hole, he is likely to remodel or enlarge one caused 
by decay. The egg is pure white. The bird’s range is 
*Most writers render his song thus: ‘* Wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, 
wet,’’ etc. 
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