THE FLICKEE. 131 



many and rather melodious calls. The males usually precede the females a few 

 days, and as soon as the latter arrive one can hear their well-known voices in 

 all directions. One of their commonest calls at this season of the year is a clear 

 "whick-ah, whick-ah;" another sounds like "quit-u, quit-u," a number of times 

 repeated; "tchuck-up, tchuck-up," is another familiar sound uttered by them; 

 a far-reaching "clape, clape" is also frequently uttered, while a quickly given 

 rolling or rattling "thee-he-he-he-he" and a low " cack-cack-ciick " seem to be 

 the notes of endearment. Another call when courting its mate sounds like 

 "ouit-ouit" and ends with a soft "puir, puir," or a cooing "yu-cah, yu-cah." 

 Low, chuckling sounds are also frequently uttered during their love making ; 

 another common call note sounds like "zee-ah, zee-ah," and during the summer 

 a clear "pi-ack, pi-ack," or "pioh," is also frequently heard; in fact, no other of 

 our Woodpeckers utters such a variety of sounds. 



The Flicker is especially demonstrative during the mating season, and is 

 an ardent wooer. It is an exceedingly interesting and amusing sight to see a 

 couple of males paying their addresses to a coy and coquettish female; the 

 apparent shyness of the suitors as they sidle up to her and as quickly retreat 

 again, the sly glances given as one peeps from behind a limb watching the 

 other — playing bo-peep — seem very human, and I have seen few more amus- 

 ing performances than the courtship of a pair of these birds. The defeated 

 suitor takes his rejection quite philosophically, and retreats in a dignified man- 

 ner, presumably to make another trial elsewhere. I have never yet seen a pair 

 of males fight over a coveted female. Few birds deserve our good will more 

 than the handsome Golden-winged Woodpecker, and it is well entitled to all of 

 the consideration generally shown it. Looked at from an economic point of view, 

 it is an exceedingly useful bird, destroying many noxious insects and their larvaj, 

 a great many of which are gleaned from the ground, as it is far more terrestrial 

 in its habits than any other member of this family. Its beak is frequently cov- 

 ered with soil from digging in pastures after grubs and earthworms, and also 

 in ant-hills after these insects or their larvae, of which it is especially fond; it 

 also feeds on hairless caterpillars. Different kinds of berries and fruit, such as 

 cherries, apples, persimmons, strawberries, mulberries, raspberries, wild grapes, 

 dogwood, whortle, poke, and sour-gum berries, and occasionally green corn, are 

 also eaten by it. The damage it does to cultivated fruits is very trifling, and 

 this bird deserves the fullest protection. 



In the northern portions of its range nidification begins about a couple of 

 weeks after the birds arrive from the South, and a suitable place is then selected 

 for a nesting site. It prefers open country, interspersed here and there with groves 

 and orchards, to the deeper forests to nest in. It is easily pleased in this respect — 

 any old stump, a partly decayed limb of a tree, near the outskirts of a forest, 

 along the banks of a creek, beside a country road, or in an old orchard, will 

 answer the purpose. A fresh cavity is usually excavated every year, but where 

 suitable trees or stumps are not readily available the same may be occupied 

 for several seasons in succession. In the vicinity of Washington, District of 



