EL CARPINTERO 53 



were what he wanted. The fact that he takes 

 sweet acorns, and those only, shows that it is the 

 meat of the nut that he wants. And all good 

 naturalists agree that it is the kernel itself that 

 he eats. 



Why he stores them is not hard to decide 

 when we remember that the Californian wood- 

 pecker, over a large part of his range, is a 

 mountain bird. Though we think of California 

 as the land of sunshine, it is not universal sum- 

 mer there. The mountain ranges have a winter 

 as severe as that of New England, with a heavy 

 snowfall. When the snow lies several feet deep 

 among the pines and spruces of the uplands, the 

 Carpenter is not distressed for food : his pantry 

 is always above the level of the snow ; he need 

 neither scratch a meagre living from the edges 

 of the snow-banks, nor go fasting. His fall's 

 work has provided him not only with the neces- 

 sities, but with the luxuries of life. 



But why does he spend so much time in mak- 

 ing holes ? He might tuck his nuts into some 

 natural crevice in the oak bark, or drop them 

 into cavities which all birds know so well where 

 to find. And leave them where any pilfering 

 jay would be able to pick them out at his ease ? 

 Or put them in the track of every wandering 

 squirrel ? Jays and squirrels are never too hon- 



