WOODPECKERS. 335 



of solitude, they scarcely differ in habits from the common 

 little Spotted or Downy Woodpecker. Audubon has repre- 

 sented these birds in no less than six assumed species, so great 

 is the variation in size, and in the colors of the young. He 

 even undertook to point out differences in manner and voice 

 between those of New Hampshire and those of Maine. Here 

 his imagination almost undoubtedly led him astray, so easy is 

 it for man to deceive himself by seeing, as he thinks, what he 

 is determined to see.* 



d. The Hairy Woodpeckers have both a loud, shrill cry, 

 not unlike that of the " Flicker," and a sharp chuck, which 

 resembles the characteristic note of the next species. Both 

 of these notes, however, are somewhat peculiar, and need not 

 often be confused with those of other species. 



B. PUBESCENS. Downy Woodpecker. A common sum- 

 mer resident throughout New England, but less abundant in 

 winter.f 



a. About 6J inches long. Outer tail-feathers, barred with 

 black. Otherwise like D. villosus (A). 



b. The nest is built in various trees, among which the 

 apple tree, birches, and poplars, are frequently selected. It 

 has occasionally been found in a post. The entrance is two 

 inches or less in diameter, whereas that of the " Flicker's" 

 nest is usually from two to five inches high. The eggs, of 

 which four or five are usually laid, near Boston, in the fourth 

 week of May, measure .80 X .60 of an inch, or less. 



c. The Downy Woodpeckers, like their near relations the 

 Hairy Woodpeckers, are resident throughout the wooded por- 



* Audubon's splendid imagination t The Downy Woodpecker has the 



and boundless enthusiasm doubtless same general range in New England as 



led him into mistakes and exaggera- D. villosus, but it is much more evenly 



tions which a person of colder temper- distributed, and breeds almost if not 



ament would have avoided. But had quite as commonly in eastern Massa- 



Audubon lacked these qualities es- chusetts and southward, as in our more 



sential to his genius he could never northern forests. Throughout most of 



have produced what, in many respects, southern New England, however, it is 



is the greatest work on ornithology apparently somewhat more numerous 



that has ever appeared, viz. : the Birds in autumn and winter than at other 



of America. W. B. seasons. W. B. 



