CATALOGUE OF VERTEBRATES. 521 



M. carolinus, L. [Centurus, Swains.) Eed-bellied Woodpecker. 



Grayish, much barred above with black and white ; crown and 

 nape crimson in male; crown ashy in female; belly reddish. 

 Length, 9f inches ; tail, 3 J inches. 



"Not common; migratory; arrives in April, and generally 

 passes on. Have seen but one nest of the species; which nest 

 was in Ocean county, and when discovered contained young birds; 

 the date of finding it was May 29th, 1861. In September they 

 are generally more common, and often remain for six weeks, 

 about old apple orchards principally. Have seen none in 

 winter."— [C. C. A.J 



COLAPTBS, Swains. 



O. auratus, L. Flicker. Golden-winged Woodpecker. Yellow Ham- 

 mer. High-holer. Yarup. 



Head ashy, with red nuchal crescent ; back olivaceous, barred 

 with black ; rump white ; below, pinkish shading into yellowish ; 

 a black crescent and many round black spots on breast ; shafts 

 and under-surface of quills golden yellow ; a black " mus- 

 tache" in male. Length, 12J inches; tail, 4J inches. 



"Resident and migratory. Very abundant. Flickers build 

 almost always in decayed wood, and have this in their favor. 

 Are very ravenous, and destroy more insects than all the other 

 woodpeckers together. In August they become partially gre- 



, garious, and in a measure forsaking timber, frequent meiadows, 

 and feed largely upon crickets and grasshoppers. After the 

 appearance of several severe frosts, they seek the timber again, 

 and are especially abundant about gum-trees, the berries of which 



1 they are very fond of. They are the most noisy of their tribe 

 among us, and their guttural note has given rise to several 

 names, as 'Yucker,' ' Wake- up,' 'Flicker,' &c. They are also 

 known as 'Yellow Hammers,' 'High-holes,' 'Claips,' &c. The 

 name ' High-hole ' probably arises from their generally building 

 at as great an elevation as, the tree selected will admit. As has 

 been stated, they frequent out-buildings in midwinter, especially 

 barns, roosting in hay-mows." 



