440 
WOODPECKERS. 
process for digestion. In the month of March, in Florida and 
Alabama, I observed them already pairing, on which occasion 
many petulant quarrels daily ensued from a host of rival sui- 
tors, accompanied by their ordinary cackling and squealing. 
One of their usual complaisant recognitions, often delivered on 
a fine morning from the summit of some lofty dead limb, is 
wit a 'wit ’wit ’wit 'wit ’wit ’wit weet and wait a wait, wait 
wait woit woit, commencing loud, and slowly rising and quick- 
ening till the tones run together into a noise almost like that 
of a watchman’s rattle. They have also a sort of complaining 
call, from which they have probably derived their name of 
pee i/t, pee i/t; and at times a plaintive queah queah. Occa- 
sionally they also utter in a squealing tone, when surprised, or 
engapd in amusing rivalry with their fellows, we-cogh we-cogh 
we-cogh we-cogh or weciip wee up weeup. 
I he food of these birds varies with the season. They are 
at all times exceedingly fond of wood-lice, ants, and their 
larvffi ; and as the fruits become mature, they also add to their 
ample fare common cherries, bird cherries, winter grapes, gum- 
berries, the berries of the red-cedar, as well as of the sumach, 
smilax, and other kinds. As the maize too ripens, the Flicker 
pays frequent visits to the field ; and the farmer, readily for- 
getful of its past services, only remembers its present faults, 
and closing its career with the gun, unthinkingly does to him- 
self and the public an essential injury in saving a few unim- 
portant ears of corn. In this part of New England it is known 
by the name of Pigeon Woodpecker, from its general bulk and 
appearance ; and, to the disgrace of our paltry fowlers, it is 
in the autumn but too frequently seen exposed for sale in the 
markets, though its flesh is neither fat nor delicate. It is 
exceedingly to be regretted that ignorance and wantonness in 
these particulars should be so productive of cruelty, devas- 
tation, and injurious policy in regard to the animals with whose 
amusing and useful company Nature has so wonderfully and 
beneficently favored us. 
