ing cavities which are excavated in 

 trees at heights varying from five to 

 over seventy feet above the ground are 

 prepared by the united efforts of both 

 sexes. Both the sexes assist also in the 

 incubation of the eggs and are devoted 

 to their young, frequently, it is said, 

 allowing themselves to be captured 

 rather than desert their young. Their 

 nests are said to average about a foot 

 in depth and may be excavated in either 

 living or dead wood. It is said, how 

 ever, that a nesting site is 'never exca 

 vated in any portion of a tree that is 

 wholly dead. Major Bendire, in his 

 "Life Histories of North American 

 Birds," says: "Deciduous trees, especial 



ly the softer wooded ones, such as elms, 

 basswood, maple, chestnut, poplar, wil 

 low and sycamore, are preferred to the 

 harder kinds, such as ash, hickory, oak, 

 etc." In the south the nesting -sites 

 are frequently excavated in pine trees, 

 and in Texas and prairie regions they 

 often nest in telegraph poles. While 

 these birds are shy and retiring es 

 pecially during the nesting season, 

 throughout, the greater part of their 

 range, Major Bendire quotes one ob 

 server who states that the Red-bellied 

 Woodpecker has been known to exca 

 vate nesting sites in the cornices of 

 buildings in Manhattan, Kansas. 



THE WILLOW'S WAYS 



Down beside the pasture brook 



Where the cattle drink, 

 Swing and sway the willows lithe, 



O'er the water's brink. 



With each breeze that brushes by 



Bends the willow copse, 

 With each gale ; blow low or high ; 



Bow the willow tops. 



Springtime's overflowing stream, 



Winter's roughest blast, 

 Hurricane or thunderstorm, 



Harmless rushes past. 



How the graceful willows there, 



Though the days be rough, 

 Bow before each rampant storm, 



Boisterous and bluff ! 



You, O comrade, profit by 

 The yielding willow's ways: 



Incline before the storms of life 

 And lengthen so your days ! 



FRANK FARRINGTON. 



