162 
DOWNY WOODPECKER. 
fruit. Of decayed trees, more than three-fourths were 
untouched by the Woodpecker. Several intelligent farmers, 
with whom I have conversed, candidly acknowledge the 
truth of these observations, and with justice look upon these 
birds as beneficial ; but the most common opinion is, that they 
bore the trees to suck the sap, and so destroy its vegetation ; 
though pine and other resinous trees, on the juices of which 
it is not pretended they feed, are often found equally per- 
forated. Were the sap of the tree their object, the saccharine 
juice of the birch, the sugar maple, and several others, would 
be much more inviting, because more sweet and nourishing 
than that of either the pear or apple tree ; but I have not 
observed one mark on the former for ten thousand that may 
be seen on the latter ; besides, the early part of spring is the 
season when the sap flows most abundantly ; whereas it is only 
during the months of September, October, and November, 
that Woodpeckers are seen so indefatigably engaged in 
orchards, probing every crack and crevice, boring through the 
bark, and, what is worth remarking, chiefly on the south and 
southwest sides of the tree, for the eggs and larvse deposited 
there by the countless swarms of summer insects. These, if 
suffered to remain, would prey upon the very vitals, if I may 
so express it, of the tree, and in the succeeding summer give 
birth to myriads more of their race, equally destructive. 
Here, then, is a whole species, I may say, genus, of birds, 
which Providence seems to have formed for the protection of 
our fruit and forest trees from the ravages of vermin, which 
every day destroy millions of those noxious insects that would 
otherwise blast the hopes of the husbandman, and which even 
promote the fertility of the tree ; and, in return, are proscribed 
by those who ought to have been their protectors, and incite- 
ments and rewards held out for their destruction ! Let us 
examine better into the operations of nature, and many of our 
mistaken opinions and groundless prejudices will be abandoned 
for more just, enlarged, and humane modes of thinking. 
The length of the Downy Woodpecker is six inches and 
; 
