284 
THE GOLDEN- WINGED WOODPECKER. 
The flight of this species is strong and prolonged, being performed in a 
straighter manner than that of any other of our Woodpeckers. They 
propel themselves by numerous beats of the wings, with short intervals of 
sailing, during which they scarcely fall from the horizontal. Their migra- 
tions, although partial, as many remain even in the middle districts during 
the severest winters, are performed under night, as is known by their note, 
and the whistling of their wings, which are heard from the ground, although 
by no means so distinctly as when they fly from a tree, or from the earth, 
when suddenly alarmed. When passing from one tree to another on wing, 
they also fly in a straight line, until within a few yards of the spot on which 
they intend to alight, when they suddenly raise themselves a few feet, and 
fasten themselves to the bark of the trunk by their claws and tail. If they 
intend to settle on a branch, which they as frequently do, they do not 
previously rise ; but in either case, no sooner has the bird alighted, if it be 
not pursued or have suspicions of any object about it, than it immediately 
nods its head, and utters its well-known note, “ Flicker .” It easily moves 
sidewise on a small branch, keeping itself as erect as other birds usually do ; 
but with equal ease does it climb by leaps along the trunks of trees or their 
branches, descend, and move sidewise or spirally, keeping at all times its 
head upwards, and its tail pressed against the bark as a support. 
On the ground, where it frequently alights, it hops with great ease. This, 
however, it does merely to pick up a beetle, a caterpillar, a grain of corn 
dropt by a squirrel from the ear in the fields, or to enable it to examine the 
dead roots of trees, or the side of a prostrate log, from which it procures 
ants and other small insects. It is also fond of various fruits and berries. 
Apples, grapes, persimons and dogwood berries seem quite agreeable to it, 
and it does not neglect the young corn of the farmer’s field. Even poke- 
berries or huckle-berries answer its purpose at times, and during winter it is 
a frequenter of the corn-cribs. 
In this species, as in a few others, there is a singular arrangement in the 
colouring of the feathers of the upper part of the head, which I conceive it 
necessary for me to state, that it may enable persons better qualified than 
myself to decide as to the reasons of such arrangement. The young of this 
species frequently have the whole upper part of the head tinged with red, 
which at the approach of winter disappears, when merely a circular line of 
that colour is to be observed on the hind part, becoming of a rich silky 
vermilion tint. The Hairy, Downy and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are 
subject to the same extraordinary changes, which, as far as I know, never 
reappear at any future period of their lives. I was at first of opinion that 
this change appeared only on the head of the male birds, but on dissection I 
found it equally affecting both sexes. I am induced to believe, that, in con- 
sequence of this, many young Woodpeckers of different species have been 
