BIRDS OF KANSAS 99 



amined, those trees which were marked by the Woodpecker 

 (for some trees they never touch, perhaps because not 

 penetrated by insects) were uniformly the most thriving, 

 and seemingly the most productive. Many of these were 

 upwards of sixty years old, their trunks completely cov- 

 ered with holes, while the branches were broad, luxuriant, 

 and loaded with fruit. Of decayed trees, more than three- 

 fourth were untouched by the Woodpecker. Several in- 

 telligent farmers with whom I have conversed candidly 

 acknowledged the truth of these observations, and with 

 justice look upon these birds as beneficial; but the most 

 common opinion is that they bore the trees to suck the 

 sap, and so destroy its vegetation, though pine and other 

 resinous trees, on the juice of which it is not pretended 

 that they feed, are often found equally perforated. Were 

 the sap of the tree their object, the saccharine juice of 

 the birch, the sugar maple and several others would be 

 much more inviting, because more sweet and nourishing 

 than that of either pear or apple tree; but I have not 

 observed one mark on the former for ten thousand that 

 may be seen on the latter; besides,- the early part of the 

 spring is the season when the sap flows most abundantly, 

 whereas it is only during the months of September, Oc- 

 tober and November that Woodpeckers are seen so inde- 

 fatigably engaged in orchards, probing every crack and 

 crevice, boring through the bark, and, what is worth re- 

 marking, chiefly on the south .and southwest sides of the 

 tree, for the eggs and larvse deposited there by the count- 

 less swarms of summer insects. These, if suffered to 

 remain, would prey upon the very vitals (if I may so 

 express it) of the tree, and in the succeeding summer 



