28 



other dangers lurk on every hand. One of the most dead- 

 ly enemies they have in our country is the Flicker or Gol- 

 den-winged Woodpecker. One of these birds^ under my 

 obser^'ation^ worked busily over a small ant hill for about 

 fifteen minutes, his head darting back and forth with al- 

 most clock-like precision, each plunge being the death 

 knell of an ant or a larvae. 'When he left, I prodded about 

 with a stick but could not discover a single one of the 

 former residents in the mound. 



Among other insects we are sure to meet in the field and 

 also about houses in the country are wasps. There are 

 many species of wasps and as everyone knows they all, or 

 at least the females, sting severely when aroused to anger. 

 Therefore studies of their lives, interesting as they are, 

 must be conducted so as not to form too intimate relations 

 with them. I have samjDled the stinging qualities of quite 

 a number of species so that I have little desire to anger 

 them. 



