SECRETARY'S REPORT. 101 



mistaken opinions and groundless prejudices will be abandoned 

 for more just, enlarged, and humane modes of thinking. 



Audubon, in describing the lial )its of the same bird, says : " This 

 woodpecker, whicli is best known in all parts of the United States 

 by the name of sapsucker, is, perhaps, not surpassed by any of 

 its tribe in hardiness, industry, or vivacity. If you watch its 

 motions while in the woods, the orchard, or the garden, you 

 will find it ever at work. It perforates the bark of trees with 

 uncommon regularity and care, and, in my opinion, greatly 

 assists their growth and health, and renders them also more 

 productive. Few of the farmers, however, agree with me in this 

 respect ; but those who have had experience in the growth of 

 fruit trees, and have attended to the effects produced by the 

 boring of this woodpecker, will testify to the accuracy of my 

 statement. This species is met with, during summer, in the 

 depth of the forest, as well as in the orchard and the garden. 

 In winter, it frequently visits the wood-pile of the farmer, close 

 to his house, or resorts to his corn-crib, where, however, he does 

 but little damage. Their food, during summer, consists of 

 insects and their larvas, but, at the approach of autumn, they 

 feed on some berries, small grapes, and the berries of the poke- 

 weed. The extensile portion of the tongue of this species, as well 

 as of the Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, and 

 others, is cylindrical or vermiform, while the extremity, or tongue 

 itself, is linear, flat above, convex beneath, with projecting 

 edges, which are serrated backwards, the tip pointed." We are 

 unable to distinguish any preference for either of these 

 species of woodpeckers in the accounts given by both of these 

 eminent naturalists, and, that they should not have noticed any 

 bad traits, if such had existed, is remarkable, living, as they 

 did, with the birds through the year, and carefully observing 

 and studying their habits. I once got abused roundly by a 

 writer in one of the Western papers, for speaking a good word 

 for the sapsucker. Whether or not there were good grounds for 

 his so doing, I leave it to the candid and unprejudiced to say. 

 I am satisfied with my reasons. 



Passing by the small family of the Caprimulgida3, in which 

 are included our Night-hawk and Whii>poor-will, and also the 

 great family of flycatchers, of which the King-bird, Pe-wee and 

 least flycatcher are familiar types ; all of which are well 



