SOME OF THE WILD THINGS 



spot by cries that certainly are understood 

 to mean danger. 



Afterward, the vireos did the same thing. 

 While the latter were scolding the owl, other 

 birds paid no attention, but responded at once 

 to their cries for help. 



After the owl had disappeared, the birds 

 scattered as before. The blue jays and two 

 thrushes stopped back to interview me, and 

 find out if my intentions were friendly. 



When all the birds had disappeared except 

 the vireos, I went in search of a new sap or- 

 chard. I soon found a clump of red maples 

 containing two trees that had been tapped 

 by woodpeckers. The belt of punctures on 

 both trees was nearly a foot in width, but 

 the woodpeckers did not show up during my 

 three hours' tarry. 



This woodpecker, the yellow-bellied (SpTiy- 

 ropicus varius), does not nest on the Cape, 

 so had doubtless departed in migration, but 

 three humming-birds were fighting for the 

 sap-buckets, and a red squirrel settled matters 



195 



