FLICKER. 



19 



Grain : 

 Corn. 

 Buckwheat. 



Fruit : 



Dogwood berries (Cornus forida and 



C. asperifoUa). 

 Virginia creeper berries (Partheiw- 



cisstis quinquefoUa). 

 Hackberries (Celtis occidentalis). 

 Black alder berries (iZea; verticiUata) . 

 Sourgum berries {Nyssa aquatica). 

 Cat or greenbrier berries (SmiJax 



gJauca). 

 Blueberries {Vaccinium sp.). 

 Huckleberries (Gayhissacia sp.). 

 Pokeberries (Phytolacca decandra). 

 June or service berries (Amelanchier 



canadensis). 

 Spice berries {Benzoin benzoin). 

 'ElderheTiies (Samiucus canadensis and 



S. pubens). 

 Mulberries {Morns). 

 Wild grapes {Yitis cordifoUa). 

 Wild black cherries {Fnimts serotina). 

 Choke cherries {Prunus virginiana). 

 Cultivated cherries. 



Iruit — Continued. 



Blackberries {Ruhtis) 



Unidentified. 

 Miscellaneous: 



Poison ivy seeds {Rhus radicans). 



Poison sumac seeds {Rhus remix). 



Harmless sumac seeds {Rhus copallina 

 and R. glabra). 



Waxberries or bayberries {Myrica 

 cerifera). 



Juniper berries {Jnniperus virgini- 

 ana). 



Knotweed or smartweed {Polygonum 

 convolvulus, P. persicaria, P. lapa- 

 thifolium). 



Clover seed {Trifolium repens). 



Grass seed (Phleum). 



Pigweed seed {Chenopodium). 



Mullein seed ( Verbascum thajjsus). 



Ragweed {Ambrosia). 



Magnolia seed {Magnolia grandiflora). 



Acorns {Quercus). 



Seed unidentified. 



Cambium. 



Rubbish. 



Of the two kinds of grain in the above list corn was identified in 5 

 stomachs, buckwheat in 1. One of the stomachs containing corn was 

 taken in March and the bird had made a full meal of it, probably 

 because he could get nothing else. Three of the others were collected 

 in September, and the corn was evidently 'in the milk.' The fifth was 



The Department of Agriculture has received a number of reports 

 that implicate woodpeckers in damage done to crops. The ouly one of 

 any consequence is from Dr. E. S. C. Foster, of Eussell County, Kans., 

 who states that the Eed-headed and Golden- winged Woodpeckers dam- 

 age corn in the roasting ear by tearing open the husks. He does not say 

 for what purpose the husks are torn open, though some observers have 

 declared that the object is to obtain the grub which sometimes infests 

 the ear. The testimony furnished by the stomachs does not indicate 

 that the Golden-wing has much to do with corn stealing, for it appears 

 that out of 98 stomachs taken in September and October, the season of 

 harvest, only 4 contained corn at all, and these in quantities ranging 

 from 4 to 30 percent of the stomach contents. The buckwheat was 

 eaten in September. The Flicker has a rich and varied list of fruit, 

 embracing at least 20 different kinds, nearly all of which are wild. 



The two items of grain and fruit together constitute about 25 per 

 cent of the whole food, the grain, however, being of little consequence. 

 With all this fruit eating, the Flicker trespassed upon man's preserves 

 for cherries only, and these were found in only 1 stomach. Several 



