174 Mr. Peabody on the 
sometimes made to the depth of two feet, at the end 
of which is the nest. 'l'he entrance is just large 
enough to admit the bird, but it grows larger, and 
becomes quite spacious at the farther end. The 
eggs, from four to six in number, and white with a 
slight blush, are laid on the fragments of wood. The 
young remain in the hole till they are fully fledged. 
The Harry Wooprrcxer, Picus villosus, is a 
pretty bird, which comes so familiarly near oul 
houses, that every one has seen it, intent upon its 
labor, searching for grubs and insects, not only in ` 
trees, but in posts, rails, and all kinds of decaying 
wood. Its call isa shrill whistle, and it makes 4 
complaining sound as it explores the bark of the 
trees. It is either very tame, or so absorbed in its 
employment as not to regard the presence of an 
observer. It builds in the branch of a tree; some- 
times taking one which is already hollow, sometimes 
scooping out an opening, which it does by beating 
off fragments with its bill, and scraping them out 
with its feet. The eggs, like those of others of the 
race, are white. The female is known by its want- 
ing the red cockade on the back of the head. 
The Downy Wooprrckrm, Picus pubescens, * 
small and very common species, is almost exactly 
like the former in every thing but size. It is often 
called the sap-sucker, from its practice of making 
perforations in circles on the bark of trees. The 
popular notion was, that this is done in order to 
extract the juices of the tree; but it is now V 
