AVES 



245 



ney or inside of 

 deserted build- 

 ings, seizes its in- 

 sect food in flight, 

 as do also th e whip- 

 poor-will and 

 nighlhawk, com- 

 ing forth at even- 

 tide from their 

 forest retreats. 



Woodpeckers 



(Pici) 



FIG. 279. Wren with food for her young. Photo- 

 graphed in the Academy of Natural Sciences. One 

 third life size. 



This order is 

 composed of ar- 

 boreal birds, all of which with one exception, the sapsucker, 



are preeminently 

 insectivorous birds. 

 They may be rec- 

 ognized by their 

 habits of picking 

 small holes in the 

 bark of trees to se- 

 cure the bark bee- 

 tles and larvae of 

 other injurious 

 beetles which dam- 

 age the forest trees 

 to the extent of 

 several millions of 

 dollars annually. 



Fl. 280. White-breasted nuthatch photographed in the rp, j - ,, 



Academy of Natural Sciences. One third life size. IHC largest 01 the 



