6 THE ARoostTooK Woops. 
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lodge on a bright still morning in the sweet spring-time and 
listen to him. He is just over the small clearing and the 
narrow strip of lowland, through which runs the brook, upon 
the ridge opposite and nearly on a level with us, some thirty 
rods away. How very plainly we hear him. And now, 
as the last sounds die away to quiet stillness again, another 
drummer far beyond, as if waiting his turn, joins on imme- 
diately and continues the drumming lively, if fainter, like a 
far away echo of the first, and as we are listening to catch the 
last vibrating sounds which comes to us with the gentle south- 
erly breeze now springing up, the large red headed wood- 
pecker, wholly without good manners, bursts out with loudest 
pounding upon the tall hollow pine just behind us, then with 
a laughing squawk, as we turn quickly toward him, flies 
away with long swoops downward for another tree handy by, 
to repeat and re-echo his merry tattoo. Again our first 
drummer, after waiting a few moments slowly commences, 
but is soon giving us another exhibition of his quick wing 
power upon his breast, clearly conveyed to us by aid of the dry 
log. Then often from three or four different points in the 
wood, at this time in the morning, we hear it repeated, when 
finally the drumming all ceases. They have probably now 
gone to breakfast, but will again cheer us with more lively 
drumming just before sundown, and perhaps (as we have often 
heard them) even late in the night, when the moon is shining 
brightly out, and if we are not sleeping too sound, we may be 
awakened by some young and amorous fellow, that is not yet 
half tired of his newly acquired accomplishment, giving us 
extra, a free and merry serenade. 
