46 BIRDS OF ARKANSAS. 



occurring near Helena. Some persons do not distinguish this species 

 from the pileated woodpecker, with which it shares the names of 

 "logcock," " woodcock/' "woodchuck," etc. It has been ruthlessly 

 destroyed by hunters for mere sport or for the sake of its brilliant 

 scalp or its polished white bill. Never widely distributed, this useful 

 and interesting bird has become yearly more restricted in its range, 

 until now it is on the verge of extinction. 



Hairy Woodpecker. Dryobates villosus villosus. 



The hairy woodpecker is generally distributed throughout the State 



in both summer and winter, but is nowhere very common. The 



northern form (villosus) has been found breeding at Mammoth Spring 



and at Clinton. One specimen was taken at Van Buren December 7. 



The range of this subspecies within the State can not be exactly 



defined, but it doubtless occupies only the Ozark region and its 



foothills. Its food habits are similar to those of its smaller relative, 



the downy woodpecker, and like it the hairy is considered decidedly 



useful. 



Southern Hairy Woodpecker. Dryobates villosus auduboni. 



This subspecies, a somewhat smaller bird than the northern form, 

 probably occupies the southern half of the State and the Mississippi 

 bottoms. A specimen was taken at Armorel, Mississippi County 

 (May 5), and the bird was observed in small numbers at Turrell, 

 Wilmot, Camden, Delight, and Rich Mountain. 



Southern Downy Woodpecker. Dryobates pubescens pubescens. 



The little downy woodpecker is common in all parts of the State 

 and is equally at home in the deep swamps and on the dry rocky 

 slopes of the mountains. It is nonmigratory and nests throughout 

 its range. Specimens were taken at Turrell, Wilmot, and Rich 

 Mountain, and the species was observed at Mammoth Spring, Lake 

 City, Eldorado, and Camden. Savage reports it fairly common at 

 Delight. The downy is considered the most useful of all our wood- 

 peckers. Stomach examinations made in the Biological Survey 

 showed that three-fourths of its food is made up of insects, few of 

 which are useful kinds. The balance of its diet consists of wild fruits, 

 berries, and nuts. 



Downy Woodpecker. Dryobates pubescens medianus. 



The northern and slightly larger form of the downy woodpecker 

 has been taken at only one locality in the State, Van Buren, where 6 

 specimens were secured by Mr. G. Dallas Hanna between November 

 29 and January 7. Whether these birds were migrants or representa- 

 tives of the breeding form of the Ozark region can not be decided until 

 breeding specimens are secured from that part of the State. Hollister 

 has recorded medianus from Stuttgart in winter, but he took no speci- 

 mens, and the southern form very probably occurs there also. 



