THE FLICKER 23 



tion of Darwin. Will his taking to the ground 

 and his pedestrian feats result in lengthening his 

 legs, his feeding upon berries and grains subdue 

 his tints and soften his voice, and his associating 

 with Robin put a song into his heart? 



In the cavity of an apple-tree, much nearer the 

 house than they usually build, a pair of high- 

 holes took up their abode. A knot-hole which led 

 to the decayed interior was enlarged, the live 

 wood being cut away as clean as a squirrel would 

 have done it. The inside preparations I could 

 not witness, but day after day, as I passed near, 

 I heard the bird hammering away, evidently beat- 

 ing down obstructions and shaping and enlarging 

 the cavity. The chips were not brought out, but 

 were used rather to floor the interior. The wood- 

 peckers are not nest-builders, but rather nest- 

 carvers. 



The time seemed very short before the voices 

 of the young were heard in the heart of the old 

 tree, — at first feebly, but waxing stronger day 

 by day until they could be heard many rods dis- 

 tant. When I put my hand upon the trunk of 

 the tree, they would set up an eager, expectant 

 chattering; but if I climbed up it toward the 

 opening, they soon detected the unusual sound 

 and would hush quickly, only now and then utter- 



