340 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



combed," in every direction by the holes made by 

 insects. 



The writer well remembers the time when wood- 

 peckers were killed in southern Illinois at all sea- 

 sons of the year merely for the sport of shooting 

 them. At the same time thousands of dollars' 

 worth of trees were destroyed annually by one 

 insect alone the wood-borer. It is not likely that 

 woodpeckers could have entirely eradicated the 

 evil; but they surely would have helped greatly in 

 keeping down the number of insects, had they 

 been allowed to breed unmolested. It is to be 

 hoped that these birds will not be slaughtered 

 again for mere sport. 



Woodpeckers eat some vegetable food; but as 

 most of it is of a wild variety, not much damage is 

 done to cultivated crops. There is some doubt, 

 however, as to one small species, known as the 

 "sap-sucker." This bird pecks holes into the 

 branches of trees for the sap which flows into 

 them. It is thought by some that he more than 

 recompenses for this bad trait in capturing insects 

 attracted by the sap in the holes which he has 

 pecked. At least, we should not condemn the 

 whole family for the misdeeds of one member. 



There is probably no place in which woodpeckers 

 can do more good than in an orchard. They 

 should be induced to stay there rather than driven 

 away. When a woodpecker is seen running up and 

 down an apple tree, pecking vigorously at times; 



