THE BIRD STUDY BOOK 



entrance hole, and for five or six feet below it, all 

 around the tree, innumerable small openings are dug 

 through to the inner bark. From these little wells 

 pour streams of soft resin that completely cover the 

 bark and give the trunk a white, glistening appear- 

 ance, which is visible sometimes for a quarter of a 

 mile. Just why they do this has never been ex- 

 plained. It is true, however, that the sticky resin 

 prevents ants and flying squirrels from reaching the 

 nest, and both of these are known to be troublesome 

 to eggs and young birds. 



A simple plan, which is usually successful in finding 

 out if a Woodpecker is at home in its nesting hole, is 

 to strike a few sharp blows on the tree with some con- 

 venient club or rock. After a little treatment of this 

 kind the bird will often come to the entrance and look 

 down, as if to inquire into the meaning of all the dis- 

 turbance. If the nest has been newly made many 

 fragments of small chips of wood will be found on the 

 ground beneath the tree. 



Variety of Situations. — The student who takes up 

 [36] 



