Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-05-23

work upcr orchard and other trees il highly
beneficial. emitting il 10 protection q AL
times. Il derivee its common name ifo0
The mantle Of loose unvebhed feathers on
the back resembling hairs.
The usual Length Of this species Is about
nine inches and the male 10 distinguished
from the female By the red cfescens oa the
nspe-
Dswny WssAPecker.
The moot common Of all the voodpeckef
family il tha little Dovny voo5peckef.
perfect miniature OF the species iass des'
c.;bed, measuring but six inches In length,
yet he Is an exact counterpart In eoiossuon
Of his big brother.
This familiar hssie carpenter - 1usuy
entitled to our protection. for fsI indeed o.
our feaihsrsd friends ard certainly none OF
the picad.e are more beneficial to the fsfm-
er and hor.iculturiss. His natural food II
the eggs and lArvAs OF insects shicn psey
upon fruit and shade trees, and the qusnsi,y
devouyed by pair Of III .se pifds In sAns ie
season would be suffi sient to devastate
email orchard in two years time. bus eooo
ofines entitle him 10 the kind regard and care
Of the whole human family and his familiar
itv and uusirins industry orght to make nim
Az ohiees Of our most solicifons protection
at all lines. =.
Its boring into the bark, particularly OF
the DRYER and more grub infested trees
must not be mistaken for the bark sffir
ming operations of the Sap Sucker, the
yellow Bellied Woo5pecker. though
both are frequently COMPOUNDED BY the
careless observer.
five examine for moment the tongue
of one Of these borers whose work 10 oene-
feial We will find it extensible for several
inches beyond the bill, fashioned ike
spear and fiaely bsrbed, thus enabling them
IA exracs the grubs from their deep hiding
places.
The tongue OF the "Sap Sucker" how
ever il not thus formed, being scarcely cif-
ferept from that Of the Robin and conse-
ouently it is physically impossible for him
10 perform the work Of the true "picus'
hovever good bic intentions may
be. The rows Of small holes 90
often seen drilled with regularity around
this trunk and limbs of apple trees are the
work of this Industrious bird. but thorough
investigation has proven beyond sill douot
that these holes do not ipjufe the trees, but
that in des,.oy ing the mischievous insects
tha. dwell therein and work destruction, be
is indeed q benefsctor of inc9lculable
value. The nest Of this species like others
Of the family is in dead or dying tree sud
the wood must be quite firm not badly
decayed, to suit their fas 'dious taste.
L-bor to them is apparently no object and
their patient ard persist Mt work will III Il
short time fashion cozy and yet commo-
within, the entrance, always circle is
judiciously left just large enough to permit
the inRress and es cess Of the owners OF the
domicile.
No foreign substance is taken to the
cavity with which to line the nest. the eggs
! being deposited upon the few chips remain
ing at the bottom.
Like the Hairy Woodpecker, the male Of
this species is distingu'shable by the red
crescent on the nape.
The Black Backed Thres-Toed Wood
pscker.
The Black Backed, or Arctic, Three-toed
Woodpecker marks IN interesting exception
! to the general rule as to the formation OF
he feet Of this class of birds. As its name
implies, i. has but three instead Of fou'
toes, the hsllux or hiod toe being wanting,
the outer toe reversed taking iss place.
| In this strange aud peculiar formation OF
the feet doubtless some important end in
the e sonomy OF the birds ex stence is sub
served, but how or what it is, remains a
my s.ery. We will not call it freak, how
ever. but will presume that Supreme iptelli
gence foreordsined the apparent pecul!a'i.!
| and that if the bird could explain he would be
able to convince US that what we moItals
look upon IS curious is in reality the mosI
natural ard proper thing imaginable for hit
needs.
| The Black Backed is apparently in nc
need Of sympathy on account of this depri
walton, il il may be called such. He is tC
sll ipteDts and purposes as able bodied al
his brethren with four toes, and we may
give him credit for even superior intelll
gence in that be keeps himself closely tt
the northern forests far from the hsuut'
snd prosecutions of man, thus escaping s.
liability of e.: termination.
so partial is lie to the Boresl region
that be 10 scarcely touod even in wiutel
south Of the lake regions Of Maine, and h
10 seldom observed except in the heavil,
wooded eeci.ons. This species is abou
eight and one half inches in length The
male bsipg distinguished from the female
by bright yellow crown.
The BANDED Back Thres-Tosd Wood.
pecksr.
The Banded Back, or American Three
Toed Woadpecker So he is called is the
rara avis Of the New England Picida and
is observed in any portion of New England
only during the most severe winters.
| It's mach more Boreal than its neal
! an ,rA 80 ;sn hal
therefore but little is known.
Az its rsme implies, it enjoys with this
last described species, the unusual disiinc
ton Of having but three instead Of fou
toes.
In colorstion it is quite similar. the diff
ference being that the back is barred witt
white.
This species is also somewhat smaller
and the bill is shorter and broader at tn,
base.
The nest of this woodpecker has nevel
yet been discovered.
Yellow iselIfed woodpscker.
We now come to consider the yellow
BelIied Woodpecker, a species differing
see atty from any Of the foregoing, and one
noted for its beautiful plumsge on the ort
hand, and for Ger .sin Structural PECULIAR
sies and habits on the other, making it a
once very conspicuous figure amorg oul
wcodpeckers.
This bird is the "Sap sucker" proper o!
the woodpecker tIite, upon whose head
Justly or upjustly. ha. been heaped sppro
orium without limit, by many of our agri
cuituri.ts. He however courts among hi
friends the ablsst Psychologists. of the pres
ent day and it would seem from The infor
nation now before us, that to convict hin
OF all The evils laid at his door by his enc
mics, would be rendering s verde. mos
decidedly against the evidence.
Tire tongue Of the ''Ssp Sucker" is short
and ulspssr like yet notwithstanding this
examinations Of the rtomachs Of hundred!
Of specimens. proves them to be largely 10
seciivorous. IL will launch itself into tbs
sir and capture flying insects Will aimos. tbs
sdroitness Of the King Bird, aud will glesr
insects by the hour from the trunks snd
limbs of trees without moIesting the bark t,
any appreciable extent.
True, it mas habit Of occasionally re-
moving a patch Of bark from an apple tree
thus allowing the cap TO escape, bur as thi.
10 usually done when the birds are migrst
Jag in the fall bu. little real i,j1ry car
result.
As before stated the physical structure
Of this woodpecker, that is-his shoYt
tongue, makes it impossible for him to OBJ
tain his food after the manner Of the true