284 THE GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. 



The flight of this species is strong and prolonged, being performed in a 

 straighter manner than that of any other of our Woodpeckers. They 

 propel themselves by numerous beats of the wings, with short intervals of 

 sailing, during which they scarcely fall from the horizontal. Their migra- 

 tions, although partial, as many remain even in the middle districts during 

 the severest winters, are performed under night, as is known by their note 

 and the whistling of their wings, which are heard from the ground, although 

 by no means so distinctly as when they fly from a tree or from the earth, 

 when suddenly alarmed. When passing from one tree to another on wing, 

 they also fly in a straight line, until within a few yards of the spot on which 

 they intend to alight, when they suddenly raise themselves a few feet, and 

 fasten themselves to the bark of the trunk by their claws and tail. If they 

 intend to settle on a branch, which they as frequently do, they do not 

 previously rise; but in either case, no sooner has the bird alighted, if it be 

 not pursued or have suspicions of any object about it, than it immediately 

 nods its head, and utters its well-known note, "Flicker." It easily moves 

 sidewise on a small branch, keeping itself as erect as other birds usually do; 

 but with equal ease does it climb by leaps along the trunks of trees or their 

 branches, descend, and move sidewise or spirally, keeping at all times its 

 head upwards, and its tail pressed against the bark as a support. 



On the ground, where it frequently alights, it hops with great ease. This, 

 however, it does merely to pick up a beetle, a caterpillar, a grain of corn 

 dropt by a squirrel from the ear in the fields, or to enable it to examine the 

 dead roots of trees, or the side of a prostrate log, from which it procures 

 ants and other small insects. It is also fond of various fruits and berries. 

 Apples, grapes, persimons and dogwood berries seem quite agreeable to it, 

 and it does not neglect the young corn of the farmer's field. Even poke- 

 berries or huckle-berries answer its purpose at times, and during winter it is 

 a frequenter of the corn-cribs. 



In this species, as in a few others, there is a singular arrangement in the 

 colouring of the feathers of the upper part of the head, which I conceive it 

 necessary for me to state, that it may enable persons better qualified than 

 myself to decide as to the reasons of such arrangement. The young of this 

 species frequently have the whole upper part of the head tinged with red, 

 which at the approach of winter disappears, when merely a circular line of 

 that colour is to be observed on the hind part, becoming of a rich silky 

 vermilion tint. The Hairy, Downy and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are 

 subject to the same extraordinary changes, which, as far as I know, never 

 reappear at any future period of their lives. I was at first of opinion that 

 this change appeared only on the head of the male birds, but on dissection I 

 found it equally affecting both sexes. I am induced to believe, that, in con- 

 sequence of this, many young Woodpeckers of different species have been 



