RED-IIEADED WOODPECKER. L'jl 
but, from what has been said on this subject, that 
^tae readers would consider it meritorious to extermi- 
j'ate the whole tribe as a nuisance: and, in fact, the 
'^S'slatures of some of our provinces, in ibnncr times, 
^acred premiums to the amount of twopence per head 
their destruction.# Hut let us not condemn the 
**Pecics unlieard : they exist ; they must therefore he 
'“''eessary. If their merits and usefulness be found, on 
^ibnination, to pre|)onderate against their vices, let us 
*''i‘il ourselves of the former, while we guard as well as 
can against the latter. 
f Thoineh this bird occasionally regales himself on 
yet his natural and most usual food is insects, 
j’ffticularly those numerous and destructive species 
: ‘»t penetrate the bark and body of the tree to deposit 
‘'‘«ir p,ro^ and larv®, the latter of which are well known 
luak” immense havoc. That insects are his natural 
P od is evident from the construction ot his wedge- 
J'^'^ied bill, the length, elasticity, and figure of his 
'’'"sue, and the strength and position of his claws ; as 
'''«U as from his usual habits. In Act, insects form 
least two-thirds of his subsistence ; and his stomach 
;? scarcely ever found without them, lie searches for 
ueiti with a dexterity and intelligence, 1 may safely 
more than human; he perceives, by the exterior 
?PPearance of the bark, where they lurk below ; when 
1 ? ’s dubious, he rattles vehemently on the outside with 
J’* Itill, and his acute ear distinguishes the terrified 
iTtmiu shrinking within to their inmost retreats, wtmre 
pointed and barbed tongue soon reaches them. 1 he 
Nsses of bugs, caterpillare, and otliew larvte, which I 
taken from the stomachs of these birds, have 
surprised me. These larvm, it should be remem- 
I ‘■C'l. feed not only on the buds, leaves, and blossoms. 
Oil the verv vp"-etable life of the tree, the alburnum, 
ficwly foriniiw bark and wood ; the consequence is, 
Wole branches and whole trees decay under the 
‘‘cut ravages of these destructive vermin; witness 
» Kalm. 
