428 



ZOOLOGY 



anchor when pecking or climbing. They have strong, sharp, 

 chisel-like bills. By means of these they get at insects under the 

 bark of trees, dig into the tender cambium of plants, and even 

 excavate cavities for nests in the timber. With their long, 

 protrusible tongue they pick up insects routed out by the 

 hammering of their beaks. The tapping sound is also a means of 

 attracting mates. Some species bury acorns in holes they have 

 made in the trees, returning for them when food supplies are 

 low. 



FIG. 231. 



FIG. 231. The Meadow Lark. From U. S. Dept. Agriculture Year-book, 1895. 



They are striking birds, often most interestingly colored. 

 Our most common forms are the red-headed woodpecker, the 

 downy woodpeckers, the flicker, the yellow-bellied sapsucker. 

 The latter is an injurious species, as it opens trees to decay and 

 attacks of fungi, and probably spreads such diseases. The rest 

 help keep in check various insect pests. 



Near the woodpeckers are often classed the cuckoos, king- 

 fishers, and toucans or hornbills. The kingfisher and rain crows 

 or American cuckoos are likely to come under the observation 



