354 THE RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 
catchers; besides fruits and berries of many sorts, including cherries, apples, 
and pears, and in fall and winter beech nuts and acorns. ‘This varied fare is 
not resorted to upon mere compulsion, but it is sought with avidity; so that 
it is no wonder that the bird thrives in any situation. Whether or not the 
Woodpeckers will remain through the winter in any given section, seems to 
depend entirely upon the local crop of beech nuts, or ‘“‘mast.’” No mast, no 
Red-heads, is the clearly proven rule. In case the bird decides to “‘lie over”, 
nuts and acorns are gathered and stored in crevices and holes against the com- 
ing season; and we may suppose that it is a matter of indifference to the bird 
whether it gets the nut kernels originally deposited, or a transmuted product 
of weevils and grubs. 
Those birds which have not wintered hereabouts, constt- 
Taken near Columbus. Photo by the Author 
WOODPECKER ROW 
tuting as they do the great majority, return north from the middle of April to 
the first of May. ‘Then the woods and groves soon resound with their loud 
calls, Ouee-o—quee-o—quecr. ‘These queer cries are not unpleasant, but the 
birds are a noisy lot at best. When one of them flies into a tree where others are 
gathered, all set up an outery of yarrow, yarrow, yarrow, which does not sub- 
side until the newcomer has had time to shake hands all around at least twice. 
3esides these more familiar sounds the Red-heads boast an unfathomed reper- 
tory of chirping, cackling, and raucous noises. The youngsters, especially,— 
awkward, saucy fellows that most of them are—sometimes get together and 
raise a fearful racket until some of the older ones, out-stentored, interpose. 
