Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-05-23
nAYuRAL HIs1onY AHD ANHI-
QUARIAH SOCIETY.
Tconsinued nom second pare

=
;,,...,.,.. 49,. Oh. u.,a;h,es ar n they
-. 1900 ..,,ss -. rms 4, heeks. a,d
~ N. ..a.,,.. S..m.,;cr ~ shis portion
~ ~ -. $500 asc.nds ~ present
" 49, -. = 1870 a.,;.. - n;,ds ;cto or,ier,.
49,. =. ":s
IT, "a, !. - ;..,,r,,,,, ~ r,ehensaou.
eHs ~ = - IL -.,,sh *. h.nd Il
l. ~ a.n1 p. scca :, a.h., nh.
s.,h ,;,b ~ soothless
a.. 4, .,n.hs. c,,s =, tears accordiua TO
~ r.su,s "a ,hs .nh.,ances taken and thus
sS.a.rsnv : ,,to,u. The Function, Of both
..a,s "a NJ.
asem.. . ,omsns At acme Of the
,.,;e.s s,s,;n sr;.hing INES for ulustrs.
go o. - cs;r., s;ds ~ the formation
- ,hs.s nsras,s
Tha hi, - ,hs h.vt ,h.rp. strong and
.,.Lsd ..,;,,.. ,oo,hea i, Admirably
"A. ,,sa n tssyins and reyering the flesh Of
M. s,;ma,. =, s.b unon which he feeds.
rs. 49, .,sn,s, .ns bishIv sensitive
,;,, =. ,hs 80 v;,h vh;eh he probes the
-, MA !, sss,ch az his fsyoriss worm
sorn 10. =. hs,ss, sn;tsd TO his needs.
Ths ~h;nn,,~i,, ard niehthswk with
,bs;, ~ssk hnt broad ana cspacious bills,
=. NAV conr.a th,urb the air in utter dis
,ea.a ~ yscma,yic,l lines. are possessed Of
q !, ..;n.ees ret which when opened to its
sr,, syts,t t.;,Iv ec,ipses the apparatus Of
the mo.t sp,bu.isstic entomologist who
,,axal. .foot The Slender bill of the
hpmn,;nu t,;,d almost rs delicate IS . cam
brio needle. il adequste for his needs, for
his diet il the honey of the flowers with an
minute insect TO vary the monot-
ony of his "biJl of fare The fnches, with
hill. comp,ct and OF great strength, are able
tn crxek oman the hard shells Of the seeds
Of which their diet is composed, derby as
ea,dirg the shall and retaining the choice
kernel. The water fowl with its broad
spoon-shsped bill, with . carefully ar
ranged set of strainers on either side.
can sift With little effort bis latest
dredye from The bottom Of the pond.
retaining the choice portions of his nod
with which to appease his appetite.
Notice the Cross Bills. those strange forms
from the far North, considered by early
discoverers as q NOR s:rosity, defofmlty
Little did they know tina. with this ODD
arrangement he could better and more
rapidly shell the small fat seeds from tne
leaves Of the pine cone, than with Dill
fashioned after the conventional form
But the chiselers-'hose carpenters OF
the bird creation, have in their bil!s an
instrument OF such wonderful strength ana
power. which coupled with sklli IN us use
both in the obstruction OF home ana III
the procurement Of feed, as to awaken our
admiration in a greater degree perhaps than
does the same feature in any of the oihe-
clas,es OF birds.
The bills Of The Picus family or woodpeck'
e,s, ARE veri' BILE cb'sels and The work per-
formed by some of he largest and mos
powerful species is o.,en prodislous. NJ
dowed by nature with an Instrument capable
Of entering woods OF the nrmes. texture
they have in the powerful muscles OF the
neck and head strength to drill and dii'e
it, that at times is simply amazing.
Wilson relates his experience with
specimen of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker
which he captured alive and carried home,
shutting him in his bedroom. In less thar
sn hour he returned to find that his ord
chip in his efforts to escape had mounted
along the side Of the window casirg ant
nearly as high as the ceiling had torn the
plssleriDg ard latbs from space 10 inchef
.quare and was pa .ly through the weather
boards Of bis prison. Alter t,ing him tc
the table leg rs safer place he sgair
returned to find that the bird had completed
ruined the mshogspy table to which he hst
been fastened.
There are at the presen ut time about 250 vel
determined species of woodpecker know
to science 20 of which inhabi. North Amer
ica. Ia New England we have this number
again reduced 10 nine, which is all that have
been discovered and doubtless all that exis
Is our section of the country has beer
thoroughly explored and clrefully watched
by practical natursli'ts and observers o.
bird life for the PISS. so yesrs and casual,
sincs 1892.
The general chsr actefis,.cs of the Picidai
Of New Epgland, are s.rong chisel-likt
bill, in most species perfectly straight. wld'
ard stou: at tie Ia e, fsperog 10 com
pressed Zip, an admirable tool for cutinl
into wood. The tell feathers sie tun am
n his nscuI;.r n-,press M the tree trunks
The tees gre so srged that tine four'
toe can be reversed parallel with the mrs
toe or thumb, ensoiiog me bird 70 secure
better hold in bis movements upol
the trunks and limbs OF ices I'M
tongue - also excepnona', Delc2 very long
the roots or hons curling backward owe
The skull between tie ssln ana bone
These are wrapped IN highly oeveiope'
muscles by means OF which the BIRDS 'hrus
cut the tongue sometimes several inche
beyond the bill. The end OF ne ton5ie /
finely bsrbed making q formidable spee
vi h which to impai the luekiess worm
uyyth Inn N HERAxp
All build their nests in holes excavate'
in dead trees snf the eggs are from 70
10 number invariably VIII te without marx
iugs.
OGr wcodpeckers Fever climb with tn
head downward ike the Nu'hatches AM
with one exception seldom perch crosswis
upon the limb like ordinary birds OF til
woodland.
We will now examine the nine diffaren
spe cies Of waodpeckers that are resident
10 or migrants tnrouah New E1slard.
The Piis"tsd ""o"Picksr
Well at the head az a " pical illustration O
his class stands the pileated woodpecker o
our northern forests. the king Of New Eng
Isnd Picid;r ard second only in size to III
famous Ivory Bill Of the cyprus swsmps o
the South
The Log Cock" as he is called By tn
lumbermen. is a carpenter Of no mean pre-
tensions ard among tine old growth Of tn
Dc en- forest where he builds his home. til
traces of bis work are visible on ever
hand, fer like all coed carpenters he /
known by his chips.
Unlike his cousins, the Lesser woodpeck
1. NO,
hole aad extracting therefrom singh
worm. He wants more Of q repast ths
that and at once, ard his skill is equal t