Beginners' zoology . the birds eachcontained more than3,000 ants, while thethird bird contained fully5,000. These ants be-long to species whichlive in the ground. It isthese insects for whichthe flicker is reachingwhen it runs about in thegrass. The yellow-beUiedwoodpecker or sapsucker{Sphyrapicus varius) was shown to be guilty of pecking holes inthe bark of various forest trees, and sometimes in that of apple--|v^ ,_ ,v. ^ ., trees, and of drinking the Mf^^^^^^^^^k^^^^^^zJ-- sap when the pits became filled. It has been proved,however, that besides tak-ing the sap the bird cap-tures large numb
Beginners' zoology . the birds eachcontained more than3,000 ants, while thethird bird contained fully5,000. These ants be-long to species whichlive in the ground. It isthese insects for whichthe flicker is reachingwhen it runs about in thegrass. The yellow-beUiedwoodpecker or sapsucker{Sphyrapicus varius) was shown to be guilty of pecking holes inthe bark of various forest trees, and sometimes in that of apple--|v^ ,_ ,v. ^ ., trees, and of drinking the Mf^^^^^^^^^k^^^^^^zJ-- sap when the pits became filled. It has been proved,however, that besides tak-ing the sap the bird cap-tures large numbers ofinsects which are attractedby the sweet fluid, andthat these form a veryconsiderable portion ofits diet. The woodpeck-ers seem the only agentsFIG. IBIS. (Order?) ^^.j^j^i^ ^^^ successfully cope with certain insect enemies of the forests, and, to someextent, with those of fruit trees also. For this reason, if for noother, they should be protected in every possible way. Fig. 327. — Lyre Bird, BIRDS i8i The night hawk, or bull bat, may be seen most often soaringhigh in air in the afternoon or early evening. It nests upon rocks orbare knolls and flat city roofs. Its food consists of insects takenon the wing; and so greedy is the bird that when food is plentiful,it fills its stomach almost to bursting. Ants (except workers) havewings and fly as they are preparing to propagate. In destroyingants night hawks rank next to, or eveii with, the woodpeckers, theacknowledged ant-eaters among birds.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1921
