373 THE WOODPECKER. 



ingly but little hurt, I took him home, and put him into a 

 large cage, made of willows, intending to keep him in my 

 own room, that we might become better acquainted. As soon 

 as he found himself enclosed on all sides, he lost no time in 

 idle fluttering, but throwing himself against the bars of the 

 cage, began instantly to demolish the willows, battering them 

 with great vehemence, and uttering a loud piteous kind of 

 cackling, similar to that of a hen when she is alarmed, and 

 takes to wing. Poor Baron Trench never labored with more 

 eager diligence at the walls of his prison, than this son of the 

 forest in his exertions for liberty ; and he exercised his pow- 

 erful bill with such force, digging into the sticks, seizing and 

 shaking them so from side to side, that he soon opened for 

 himself a passage ; and though I repeatedly repaired the 

 breach, and barricadoed every opening in the best manner I 

 could, yet on my return into the room, I always foiind him at 

 large, climbing up the chairs, or running about the floor, 

 where, from the dexterity of his motions, moving backwards, 

 forwards, and side ways, with the same facility, it became 

 difficult to get hold of him again. Having placed him in a 

 strong wire cage, he seemed to give up all hopes of making 

 his escape, and soon became very tame ; fed on young ears 

 of Indian corn ; refused apples, but ate the berries of the sour 

 gum greedily, small winter grapes, and several other kinds of 

 berries ; exercised himself frequently in climbing, or rather 

 hopping perpendicularly along the sides of the cage ; and as 

 evening drew on, fixed himself in a high hanging or perpen- 

 dicular position, and slept with his head in his wing. As soon 

 as dawn appeared, even before it was light ejnough to perceive 

 him distinctly across the room, he descended to the bottom of 

 the cage, and began his attack on the ears of Indian corn, 

 rapping so loud as to be heard from every room in the house. 

 After this he would sometimes resume his former position, 

 and take another nap. He was beginning to become very 

 amusing, and even sociable, when, after a lapse of several 

 wfeeks, he became drooping } and died, as I conceived, from 

 the effects of his wound. 



