148 RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 



retreats, whence he sallies out to make his depredations. He 

 is fond of the ripe berries of the sour gum, and pays pretty 

 regular visits to the cherry trees when loaded with fruit. To- 

 wards fall he often approaches the barn or farmhouse, and 

 raps on the shingles and weather boards : he is of a gay and 

 frolicsome disposition ; and half a dozen of the fraternity are 

 frequently seen diving and vociferating around the high 

 dead limbs of some large tree, pursuing and playing with 

 each other, and amusing the passenger with their gambols. 

 Their note or cry is shrill and lively, and so much resembles 

 that of a species of tree-frog which frequents the same tree, 

 that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the one from the 

 other. 



Such are the vicious traits, if I may so speak, in the 

 character of the red-headed woodpecker ; and I doubt not but, 

 from what has been said on this subject, that some readers 

 would consider it meritorious to exterminate the whole tribe 

 as a nuisance : and, in fact, the Legislatures of some of our 

 provinces, in former times, offered premiums to the amount of 

 twopence per head for their destruction* But let us not con- 

 demn the species unheard : they exist — they must therefore 

 be necessary.f If their merits and usefulness be found, on 



* Kalm. 



t The abundance of this species must be very great, and, from the 

 depredations they commit, must be more felt. Mr Audubon says that 

 a hundred have been shot in one day from a single cherry tree. In 

 addition to their other bad habits, they carry off apples by thrusting in 

 their bill as a spike, and thus supporting them. They also frequent 

 pigeon-houses, and suck the eggs, — a habit not very common among this 

 tribe ; and, for the same purpose, enter the boxes prepared for the mar- 

 tins and blue birds. Another method of adding to their destruction, 

 in Kentucky and the southern States, is in the following manner related 

 by Audubon : — 



" As soon as the red-heads have begun to visit a cherry or apple tree, 

 a pole is placed along the trunk of the tree, passing up amongst the 

 central branches, and extending six or seven feet above the highest twigs. 

 The woodpeckers alight by preference on the pole, and whilst their body 

 is close to it, a man, standing at the foot of the pole, gives it a twist 

 below with the head of an axe, on the opposite side to that on which the 



