WINTER NEIGHBORS 137 



ten feet from the tree before the male was in hot 

 pursuit, and in a few moments had driven her back 

 to the same tree, where she tried to avoid him 

 among the branches. A few days after, he rid him- 

 self of his unwelcome neighbor in the following 

 ingenious manner: he fairly scuttled the other cav- 

 ity; he drilled a hole into the bottom of it that let 

 in the light and the cold, and I saw the female 

 there no more. I did not see him in the act of 

 rendering this tenement uninhabitable; but one 

 morning, behold it was punctured at the bottom, 

 and the circumstances all seemed to point to him as 

 the author of it. There is probably no gallantry 

 among the birds except at the mating season. I 

 have frequently seen the male woodpecker drive the 

 female away from the bone upon the tree. When 

 she hopped around to the other end and timidly 

 nibbled it, he would presently dart spitefully at 

 her. She would then take up her position in his 

 rear and wait till he had finished his meal. The 

 position of the female among the birds is very much 

 the same as that of woman among savage tribes. 

 Most of the drudgery of life falls upon her, and the 

 leavings of the males are often her lot. 



My bird is a genuine little savage, doubtless, but 

 I value him as a neighbor. It is a satisfaction 

 during the cold or stormy winter nights to know he 

 is warm and cozy there in his retreat. When the 

 day is bad and unfit to be abroad in, he is there 

 too. When I wish to know if he is at home, I go 

 and rap upon his tree, and, if he is not too lazy or 



