The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-02-12
Woodpsck and Acorna
How n CLI1ornI Bird stores Go r God Coz
tina Winter.

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SO" n clH1ornl, Bird stores G2 I God Coz
hs Winter.
MIR. Stcarns read another inter sstius
paper on Tho Acorn-S oring Habits q.
the California Wu~odpec<c-." In Maps
county hc craminedn fallen yellow Pine
tree, tho bark of which was full of
acorn holes. Its length was 175 feet.
and tile diameter OF its butt was s feet
10 inches, aud, Mt 80 feet. 8 feet 8 inch
cs. Above the nincty-foot limo tho
woodpecker holes werc comparatively
fewA neither were there any in the first
ten feet of the trunk from the ground.
A piece Of the bark twelve by twelve
inches shows sixty holes. II we take
a" average OF t~hirty-six holes to the
equnre foot 1t gives us Al, 04O acorn
holes in the bark of this one tree. The
holes are drilled to receive acorns Of
different sizes, for these birds are exact
workmen, and each acorn is nicaiy
fitted Into its special cavity. Wood
peckers reject the cups and store acprns
without them. In Knights Valley he
observed w~oodpecker holes in a large
spruce tree, and was informed that they
also bore into tho bark of certain nak.
TO n limited extent. They have q habit
peculiar to them of drilling small holes
in the bark Of severa. varieties Of trees,
aud fitting acorns tightly into them,
each one being carefully adapted and
driven tight. These are generally con
sidered rs laid up for 9vinter supply OF
food; but while in this climate no such
provision is necessary. it is alsn very
improbable that ono of the family
would feed on hard nuts or seeds of any
kind. Inc more probable explanation
is that they are preserved for the sake
of the grubs they SO frequently contain.
which being very small when the acorn
falls. grow until they eat the whole in
terror, when they become a welcome
delioacy for the bird. Whether they Sc
lect only those containing grubs. or
store away all they meet with is uncer-
tain, but rs they leave great numbers
in the tree untouched. It Is probable
that these are sound acorns, and often
become a supply to squirrels aud blue
Jays. From This strange habit these in
dustrious, yet playful and twittering
birds, have received from tho early
M-xicans the name of carpenters
and this is also adopted by many Amer
leans. Trees used by them for such
storage contnin on the average about
366 pounds OF acorns imbedded in their
bark. .
Mr.. Brooks remarked that Mr.. Light
ner, a member of tine Academy, lad
carefully observed the habits Of wood
peckers and bluejays at the season
when these acorns are generally depos-
tied, and had desired him TO state what
he had seen. and to ask some explana-
lions. Mr.. Lightner observed wood
peckers engaged in drilling holes in the
bark, when u bluejay was seen to fly
close up to one and inspect the size ot
the hole. Some very active %chippering
then ensues, when the bluejly flies
away, but soon returns with n green
acorn without the cup, in his beak.
This lie offers to the woodpecker, who
takes it with his beak and sets it into
the hole. and drives it home with a few
taps. where it remains. This process
is continually repeated. Nh. Lightner
desired 10 know what were the special
benefits derived by this mutual service
conducted between an h~erbiverous and
q carniverous bird.
Mr.. Stearns said that great numbers
of untouched acorns remain In the
Spring. which have developed no
worms suitable as food for the wood
pecker, and which supply nutriment to
biucjays and squirrels. Thus a COM
munity of interest was manifest ex-
planning their joint lnbors. /