Part 1

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THE WOODPECKERS

FANNIE HARDY ECKSTORM

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY The Riverside Press, Cambridge 1901

COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY FANNIE HARDY ECKSTORM

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

To MY FATHER MR. MANLY HARDY A Lifelong Naturalist

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

FOREWORD: THE RIDDLERS 1

I. HOW TO KNOW A WOODPECKER 4

II. HOW THE WOODPECKER CATCHES A GRUB 9

III. HOW THE WOODPECKER COURTS HIS MATE 15

IV. HOW THE WOODPECKER MAKES A HOUSE 20

V. HOW A FLICKER FEEDS HER YOUNG 24

VI. FRIEND DOWNY 28

VII. PERSONA NON GRATA. (YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER) 33

VIII. EL CARPINTERO. (CALIFORNIAN WOODPECKER) 46

IX. A RED-HEADED COUSIN. (RED-HEADED WOODPECKER) 55

X. A STUDY OF ACQUIRED HABITS 60

XI. THE WOODPECKER'S TOOLS: HIS BILL 68

XII. THE WOODPECKER'S TOOLS: HIS FOOT 77

XIII. THE WOODPECKER'S TOOLS: HIS TAIL 86

XIV. THE WOODPECKER'S TOOLS: HIS TONGUE 99

XV. HOW EACH WOODPECKER IS FITTED FOR HIS OWN KIND OF LIFE 104

XVI. THE ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN 110

APPENDIX 113