I 
248 STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
many with the object of ascertaining the contents of the 
stomach, and in no case have I found vegetable matter; but in 
all instances I have found abundant evidence that the bird has 
been engaged in a good work—in destroying the larvae of the 
borer and electors , that do so much injury to our fruit and orna¬ 
mental trees. 
There is one valuable office to which, so far as I can learn, 
this species alone is engaged in; that is the destruction of the 
pupa of the various species of Atacus, (the native silk-w'orm 
moths,) thereby keeping in check and preventing the undue 
multiplication of the large, voracious larvae of these splendid 
insects. 
Prof. J. P. Kirtland, in his report on the Zoology of Ohio, 
condemns the Downy Woodpecker for mischief-doing, and 
invokes that extermination I would call down on the Pious 
varius , and for similar reasons. But I must believe that the 
Professor has inspected the w r ork of the Yellow-bellied Wood¬ 
pecker, and charged the innocent with the damage. With all 
the evidence I have collected, in the fourteen years my atten- 
/ 
tion has been directed to the Woodpeckers, with the view of 
deciding this very matter, I would not dare recommend the 
destruction of the Downy Woodpecker; but, instead, I would 
commend this bird to the kind protection of the Horticulturist, 
believing it to be to his best interest so to do. 
Yours truly, 
P. R. Hoy. 
