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THE RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 
chorr , has often reminded me of the bark of a lap-dog. It is a most expert climber, possessing 
extraordiarny strength in the muscles of its feet and claws, and moves about the body and limbs 
of trees with great facility. It rattles likes the others of its tribe on dead limbs, and with such 
violence as to be heard in clear weather more than a half mile off. Like others, it digs out for 
itself a nesting-place in the limb of a tree, producing two broods in a season. 
This species inhabits a large range of country ; in all portions it seems to be resident, or 
nearly so. The benefits derived from such busy workers after pest insects, that lie lurking 
beneath the barks of trees in onr forests, must be incalculable. 
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker {Pious querulus). Wilson first discovered this bird, 
in the woods of North Carolina. The singularity of its voice, which quite resembles that of 
young nestlings, and the red streak on the side of its head, suggested the specific name he 
gave it. He found it also in South Carolina and Georgia. It is thought to be an intermediate 
form between the Red -bellied and Hairy Woodpecker. The distinguishing character is the 
fine line of vermilion on each side of the head. 
The California Woodpecker {Melanerpes formicinorus) is especially a Pacific coast 
bird, extending to Northern Mexico. Hr. Heerman describes this as one of the noisiest as well 
as the most abundant species in California. It catches insects on the wing, after the manner 
of the Fly-catchers. This bird is noted for its habit of storing acorns in dead trees, by pecking 
holes for each nut, and forcing them into them. 
America possesses many species, among which the Red-headed Woodpecker deserves 
a short notice, as being a good representative of the Black Woodpeckers. 
It is one of the commonest of American birds, bold, fearless of man, and even venturing 
within the precincts of towns. The habits of this bird are well told by Audubon and Wilson. 
The former author re- 
marks of this bird : 
“When alighted on 
a fence stake by the 
road, or in a field, and 
one approaches them, 
they gradually move 
sideways out of sight, 
peeping now and then 
to discover your inten- 
tion, and when you are 
quite close and oppo- 
site, lie still until you 
have passed, when 
they hop to the top of 
the stake, and rattle 
upon it with their bill, 
as if to congratulate 
themselves on the suc- 
cess of their cunning. 
Should yon approach 
within arm’s length, 
which may frequently 
be done, the Wood- 
pecker flies to the first stake or the second from you, bends his head to peep, and rattles 
again, as if to provoke yon to continuance of what seems to him excellent sport. He alights 
on the roof of the house, hops along it, beats the shingles, utters a cry, and dives into your 
garden to pick the finest strawberries he can discover.” 
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER .— JPicus erythrocevhalus. 
