THE BABY'S FROLIC. 219 



he brandished about as a child flourishes a whip, 

 and presently laid it down, worried it, flung it 

 about, and had a rare frolic with it. Tiring of 

 that, he closely examined the fence, going over 

 it inch by inch, and pecking every mark and 

 stain on it. When startled by a bird flying over 

 or alighting near him, he sprang back instantly, 

 slipped over behind the fence or post, and hung 

 on by his claws, leaving only his head in sight. 

 He was a true woodpecker in his manners ; bow- 

 ing to strangers who appeared, driving away one 

 of his sapsucker cousins who came about, and 

 keeping up a low cry of " kr-r-r " almost exactly 

 like his parents. He showed also great interest 

 in a party of goldfinches, who seemed to have 

 gone mad that morning. 



Finally the thought of berries struck the young 

 red -head. He began to consider going for 

 them. One could fairly see the idea grow in his 

 mind. He leaned over and peered into the 

 bushes; he hitched along the fence, a little 

 nearer, bent over again, then came down on the 

 side of the board, and hung there, with body 

 inclined toward the fruit. After many such 

 feints, he actually did drop to the second board, 

 and a little later secured a berry, which he took 

 to the top of the post to eat. In spite of the 

 fact that he was amply able to help himself, as 

 he proved, he ^till demanded food when his par- 



