574 
ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS. 
146. Pious pubescens, Linn. DOWNY WOODPECKER. Group L Class b. 
This species, like the last, is a common resident, but not as abundant as that 
bird, and its habits resemble those of its large cousin as closely as does its dress; 
it is, however, a more frequent visitor to orchards. The statements in regard 
to its probing the bark of young smooth trees to suck the sap appear to be 
unfounded. 
Food; Of seventeen specimens examined, seven had eaten twenty wood-boring 
grubs; nine, twenty other larvee, among them three caterpillars; two, seven 
ants; three, four beetles; one, a chrysalid; one, a fly; one, one hundred and ten 
small heteropterous insects, about the size of chinch-bugs; one, a spider; one, 
acorns; and one, small seeds. In the stomachs of four was found a little vege¬ 
table fiber, but this was probably taken incidentally, as in each case the bird had 
eaten wood-boring larvae. From the stomach of each of two of these birds 
were taken eight large wood-boring grubs. 
Of all our Woodpeckers, none relieve our orchards of so many vermin (Wil¬ 
son). Insects and their larvm, grapes and poke-berries (De Kay). In summer, 
insects and their larvae; in autumn, fruits of various kinds, among them grapes 
and poke-berries (Audubon). They are very industrious, and particularly fond 
of boring the bark of apple trees for insects (Brewer). Wood, hymenoptera, 
lepidoptera, hemiptera and spiders. Three si^ecimens (Forbes). 
147. PicoiDES ARCTicus (Sw.), Gray. BLACK-BACKED THREE-TOED 
WOODPECKER. Group I. Class a. 
This Woodpecker is common in the northern portion of the state during the 
fall and winter, and probably resident to some extent during the summer, and I 
have taken it at Worcester in July. It rarely moves south in the winter beyond 
the heavy timber line. In the pineries its services must be very great, as it 
appears to feed almost exclusively upon wood-boring larvae. 
Food: Four specimens examined had eaten respectively, thirteen, twelve, seven, 
and six larvae of long-horn beetles. Nothing else was found in the stomachs of 
these birds. 
Wood-boring insects (De Kay). Besides insects they eat berries and small 
fruits (Audubon). 
148. PicoiDES Americanus, Brehm. BANDED THREE-TOED WOOD¬ 
PECKER. Group II. Class a. 
This species is introduced in the present connection on the authority of Dr. 
Brewer, who says, in Birds of North America: “They occur also in Southern 
Wisconsin, in winter, where Mr. Kumlien has several times in successive win¬ 
ters obtained single individuals.” 
149. Sphyropicus varius (Linn.), Bd. YELLOW-BELLIED WOOD¬ 
PECKER. Group II. Class a. 
This species is an abundant summer resident in most suitable localities, but 
during the breeding season it is confined quite exclusively to forests and the 
deeper woodlands. At other times, between the last of March and the first of 
October, it frequents, besides its breeding haunts, more open woods, groves, 
orchra’ds and villages. Like the preceding species, it is seldom seen upon the 
ground; but, unlike them, it rarely feeds upon wood-boring larvae. My own 
