The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-26

CUNNING OF WoODPECkERs.
California Varieties Conduct Worm
ncubators in Dead Trees.

GOnduGt WORM
Incubators in Dead Trees.
From the Los Angeles Herald.
Real, genuine forethought is a thing
which birds are but seldom charged.
Nature teaches her feathered children
to build their nests in anticipation OF
the nesting time. But that a bird
should think out several steps of a
natural phenomenon and deliberately
plan several weeks ahead for banquets
of bird delicacies is almost too much
for the most ready believer.
But the California woodpecker, as
handsome a bird as ever lived on the
side of a tree, must be given the credit
Of being really a thinker and a planner
He is a college professor, nay logi-
clan. among his kind.
Have you ever seen acorns on sy-
camore trees?' is question often put
to the tourist in California No matter
what he answers he is driven into the
country and there actually shown sne
sight; acorns on sycamores. For in
many parts of the South trees, both
sycamore and oak, may be seen with
the bark drilled full of holes and with
a live oak acorn In every hole.
These trees are thus decora ted by the
wOodpecker at infinite cost of labor and
truly with foresight.
Finding dead tree or one with bark
to his taste, the woodpecker will COM
Inence the drilling of small holes, us
ually in rows. Each hole is made OF the
diameter of ones second finger and a
depth of about an inca. Trees may be
seen that are literally pcckmarked
with holes, the openings being the
work of successive generations Of in
dustrious woodpeekers.
The holes drilled, by actual work of
bill, each opening has hammered into
il a live oak acorn. Scientists have
watched these birds at their work.
They hammer away at various holes,
remaining only short time at each.
Then they fly away in search of acorns,
which they carry from considerable
distances in their claws, often drop
ping the slippery nuts. With the beak
the nut is started into a hole just
large enough, and not a hairs breadth
too large. to receive it. Again the
hammering beak is used, and the nut Is
driven tight and fast into its place
So tight are the fits often of these
acorns that 1t is almost impossible TO
get them out with ones fingers. The
writer has seen many unsuccessful at
tenpts to pick out these stored up
treasures.
But in this where is there anything so
wonderful? Do not many birds and in
sects ulteIflpl 10 Store IOOQ LOT uuH
times? Wherein lies the forethought
of the woodpecker?
The truth of the mater is that when
the little thinker puts an acorn in it's
proper. and TO him expensive, hole il
is not at all because he has an acorn
tooth. He sees a step ahead, for he
knows that worms viii form in each
acorn and these worms are the ulti-
mate object of his tolls.
Holes in trees are fun to build and
will keep acrons of the ground. out
Of reach of pigs and other natural pro-
cesses Of destruction. Sooner or later
worms will form In acorns-and what
food can a wood peeker have better
than worfns2 Surely the little fellow
has sound sense when he sets his table
often weeks ahead OF his feast OF
grubs. He looks well ahead.
This explanation of the fact that
woodpechers actually do drill and an
thousands OF holes in dead trees -
very often doubted. Yet u Is put for
ward as a fact ~ many careful oh.
servers, and is really a story that does
great credit 70 the No0dpecker