376 THE WOODPECKER. 



red. In both, a fine line of white separates the red crest from 

 the dusky line that passes over the eye. 



The Golden- Winged Woodpecker (P. Auratus) is well 

 known to our farmers and junior sportsmen, who take every 

 opportunity of destroying him ; the former for the supposed 

 trespasses he commits on their Indian corn, or the trifle he will 

 bring in market, and the latter for the mere pleasure of des- 

 truction, and perhaps for the flavor of his flesh, which is in 

 general esteem. In the state of Pennsylvania he can scarcely 

 be called a bird of passage, as even in severe winters they 

 may be found within a few miles of the city of Philadelphia ; 

 and I have known them exposed for sale in market every 

 week during the months of November, December, and Janu- 

 ary, and that too in more than commonly rigorous weather. 

 They, no doubt, partially migrate, even here ; being much 

 more numerous in spring and fall than in winter. Early in 

 the month of April they begin to prepare their nest, which is 

 built in the hollow body or branch of a tree, sometimes, 

 though not always, at a considerable height from the ground. 

 The sagacity of this bird in discovering, under a sound bark, 

 a hollow limb or trunk of a tree, and its perseverance in per- 

 forating it for the purpose of incubation, are truly surprising ; 

 the male and female alternately relieving and encouraging 

 each other by mutual caresses, renewing their labors for sev- 

 eral days, till the object is attained, and the place rendered 

 sufficiently capacious, convenient and secure. At this em- 

 ployment they are so extremely intent, that they may be 

 heard till a very late hour in the evening, thumping like 

 carpenters. . I have seen an instance where they had dug 

 first five inches straight forward, and then downwards more 

 than twice that distance, through a solid black oak. They 

 carry in no materials for their nest, the soft chips, and dust of 

 the wood, serving for this purpose. The female lays six 

 white eggs, almost transparent. The young early leave the 

 nest, and, climbing to the higher branches, are there fed by 

 their parents. 



The food of this bird varies with the season. As the com- 



