618 
BIRD-LIFE. 
disturbed, will not abandon the nest; and even if one is 
destroyed, the survivor will continue the labour of incu¬ 
bation oblivious of its own safety. 
During pairing time the male bird becomes quite an 
“ artiste” in the way of instrumental music. He will 
hang on the topmost branch of a tree, or some dry limb, 
and hammer away with his beak so rapidly and so hard 
that he communicates to the branch a tremulous motion, 
which produces a singular drumming sound, so powerful 
as to echo through the forest, especially on a clear day, 
when it may be heard a mile off. This noise sounds 
sometimes like “orrrrrr,” and sometimes like “errrrrr,” 
according to the size of the limb on which he is perform¬ 
ing. The rapid movement of the bird’s crimson head 
gives it the appearance of a glowing coal on the end of a 
burnt stick, which is being quickly shaken to and fro. 
This drumming sound serves to attract the female, and 
she comes immediately to the sound, sometimes answer¬ 
ing, “ gleuk, gleuk, gleuk,” to this singular serenade. 
The Black Woodpecker, like the Blackcock, when “play¬ 
ing,” is so preoccupied with the tender passion while 
drumming, as to lose his usual shyness; at any rate, he 
may be more easily approached and shot at this time, than 
at any other. Inasmuch as the lesser Woodpeckers sing 
their love sonnets after a similar fashion,—although not 
so loud, on account of being themselves smaller and using 
smaller branches,—in an old forest, at spring time, one 
may hear a most singular concert, which astonishes the 
uninitiated, and vastly pleases the ear of the naturalist, 
as it forms a most beautiful accompaniment to the songs 
of the other denizens of the woods. 
The young ones before they are fledged are excessively 
ugly creatures. They have enormous heads, and the 
