( 81 ) 

 THE DOWNY WOODPECKER. 



PiCUS PUBESCENS, LiNN. 

 PLATE CXII. Male and Female. 



The Downy Woodpecker, which is best known in all parts of the 

 United States by the name of Sap-sucker, 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 ren- 

 ders them also more productive. Few of the farmers, however, agree with 

 me in this respect ; but those who have had experience in the growing 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 or 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, it does little damage. I have found it pretty generally 

 distributed from the lower parts of Louisiana to Labrador, and as far to 

 the westward as I have travelled. It seems, in fact, to accommodate it- 

 self to circumstancesj and to live contented anywhere. 



About the middle of April it begins to form its nest, shewing little 

 care as to the kind of tree it selects for the purpose, although it generally 

 chooses a sound one, sometimes, however, taking one that is partially de- 

 cayed. The pair work together for several days before the hole is com- 

 pleted, sometimes perhaps a whole week, as they dig it to the depth of a 

 foot or sixteen inches. The direction is sometimes perpendicularly down- 

 wards from the commencement, sometimes transverse to the tree for four 

 or five inches, and then longitudinal. The hole is rendered smooth and 

 conveniently large throughout, the entrance being perfectly round, and 

 just large enough to admit one bird at a time. The eggs, commonly six 

 in number, pure white, and translucent, are deposited on the bare wood. 

 In the Southern and Middle States, two broods are raised in the season ; 

 farther north seldom more than one. The young follow their parents 

 through the woods, in company with Nuthatches and Creepers, and seem 



VOL. II. F 



