i8o 



BEGINNERS' ZOOLOGY 



Woodpeckers. — Careful observers have noticed that, excepting 

 a single species, these birds rarely leave any conspicuous mark on 

 a healthy tree, except when it is affected by wood-boring larvae, 

 which are accurately located, dis- 

 lodged, and devoured by the wood- 

 pecker. Of the flickers' or yellow- 

 hammers' stomachs examined, three 

 were completely filled with ants. 

 Two of the birds each 

 contained more than 

 3,000 ants, while the 

 third bird contained fully 

 5,000. These ants be- 

 long to species which 

 live in the ground. It is 

 these insects for which 

 the flicker is reaching 

 when it runs about in the 

 grass. The yellow-bellied 

 woodpecker or sapsucker 

 {Sphyrapicus varius) was shown to be guilty of pecking holes in 

 the bark of various forest trees, and sometimes in that of apple 



trees, and of drinking the 



sap when the pits became 

 filled. It has been proved, 

 however, that besides tak- 

 ing the sap the bird cap- 

 tures large numbers of 

 insects which are attracted 

 by the sweet fluid, and 

 that these form a very 

 considerable portion of 

 its diet. The woodpeck- 

 ers seem the only agents 

 which can successfully 



Fig. 327. — Lyre Bird, male. 



Fig. 328. — Sacred Ibis. (Order?) 



cope with certain insect enemies of the forests, and, to some 

 extent, with those of fruit trees also. For this reason, if for no 

 other, they should be protected in every possible way. 



