134 



INSESSORES. 



by a series of short leaps, occasionally stopping to 

 give a few raps, to discover the lurking-places of in- 

 sects beneath the bark; then on he goes, here and 

 there picking up a dainty morsel, until being satis- 

 fied that he has done with the tree, he passes to 

 another. 



The United States are particularly favored in pos- 

 sessing a large number of species of this beautiful 



tribe. The Califor- 

 nia Woodpecker is 

 justly celebrated for 

 the richness of its 

 plumage, as well as 

 for some of its sin- 

 gular habits. We 

 do not know of any 

 other species that 

 is so provident as 

 to la J' up stores for 

 the winter. This 

 propensity has been 

 attributed to several 

 others, but in the 

 bird before us we 

 Woodpeckers. }iave positive evi- 



dence to that effect from those who have witnessed 

 its operations. The following interesting narrative, 

 taken from Kelley's " Excursion to California," will 

 throw some light upon the subject: 



'• In stripping off the bark of this tree, I observed 

 it to be perforated with holes, larger than those which 



