FLICKER. 19 
Grain: 
Corn. 
Buckwheat. 
Fruit: 
Dogwood berries (Cornus florida and 
C. asperifolia). 
Virginia creeper berries (Partheno- 
cissus quinquefolia). 
Hackberries (Celtis occidentalis). 
Black alder berries (Jlex verticillata). 
Sourgum berries (Nyssa aquatica). 
Cat or greenbrier berries (Smilax 
glauca), 
Blueberries (Vaccinium sp.). 
Huckleberries (Gaylussacia sp.). 
Pokeberries (Phytolacca decandra). 
June or service berries (Amelanchier 
canadensis), 
Spice berries (Benzoin benzoin). 
Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis and 
S. pubens). 
Mulberries (Morus). 
Wild grapes (Vitis cordifolia). 
Wild black cherries (Prunus serotina). 
Fruit—Continued. 
Blackberries (Rubus) 
Unidentified. 
Miscellaneous: 
Poison ivy seeds (Rhus radicans). 
Poison sumac seeds (Rhus vernix). 
Harmless sumac seeds (Rhus copallina 
and R. glabra). 
Waxberries or bayberries (Myrica 
cerifera). 
Juniper berries (Juniperus virgini- 
ana). 
Knotweed or smartweed (Polygonum 
convolvulus, P. persicaria, P. lapa- 
thifolium). 
Clover seed (Trifolium repens). 
Grass seed (Phleum). 
Pigweed seed (Chenopodium). 
Mullein seed ( Verbascum thapsus). 
Ragweed (Ambrosia). 
Magnolia seed (Magnolia grandiflora). 
Acorns (Quercus). 
Seed unidentified. 
Cambium. 
Choke cherries (Prunus virginiana), Rubbish. 
Cultivated cherries. 
Of the two kinds of grain in the above list corn was identified in 5 
stomachs, buckwheat in 1. Oneof the stomachs containing corn was 
taken in March and the bird had made a full meal of it, probably 
because he could get nothing else. Three of the others were collected 
in September, and the corn was evidently ‘in the milk.’ The fifth was 
taken in October, and is of a somewhat doubtful nature. 
The Department of Agriculture has received a number of reports 
that implicate woodpeckers in damage done to crops. The only one of 
any consequence is from Dr. E. 8. C. Foster, of Russell County, Kans., 
who states that the Red-headed and Golden-winged Woodpeckers dam- 
age corn in the roasting ear by tearing open the husks. He does not say 
for what purpose the husks are torn open, though some observers have 
declared that the object is to obtain the grub which sometimes infests 
the ear. The testimony furnished by the stomachs does not indicate 
that the Golden-wing has much to do with corn stealing, for it appears 
: that out of 98 stomachs taken in September and October, the season of 
harvest, only 4 contained corn at all, and these in quantities ranging 
from 4 to 30 percent of the stomach contents. The buckwheat was 
eaten in September. The Flicker has a rich and varied list of fruit, 
embracing at least 20 different kinds, nearly all of which are wild. 
The two items of grain and fruit together constitute about 25 per 
cent of the whole food, the grain, however, being of little consequence. 
With all this fruit eating, the Flicker trespassed upon man’s preserves 
for cherries only, and these were found in only 1 stomach. Several 
