. . WOODPECKERS, CUCKOOS, ETC. 233 the borders of the United States except during severe win-ters, when some of them may be met with in Central Amer-ica and Mexico. Among the first harbingers of spring, thebudding of the catkins and the flight of the flicker areconspicuous. The males are droll creatures and so ardent in their woo-ing that they become unsuspicious of mankind. Three, andoften five, yellow hammers may be seen ardently courtingthe same female, whose absence of red on the nape of theneck makes her identity certain. The fl
. . WOODPECKERS, CUCKOOS, ETC. 233 the borders of the United States except during severe win-ters, when some of them may be met with in Central Amer-ica and Mexico. Among the first harbingers of spring, thebudding of the catkins and the flight of the flicker areconspicuous. The males are droll creatures and so ardent in their woo-ing that they become unsuspicious of mankind. Three, andoften five, yellow hammers may be seen ardently courtingthe same female, whose absence of red on the nape of theneck makes her identity certain. The flicker beats a rolHngtattoo in spring. His vocal song proper is a rapid, oft-repeated cuh-cuh-cuh. It also has a weechew-weechew song, from which comes its name flicker. The quest ofants has led this bird to terrestrial habits, so that it seemsto be gradually becoming a species of grouse. It is a veryuseful bird and should be protected, even though it may befond of cherries. In June, 1896, I noticed a flicker emerging from a holein an apple tree. Examining the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booki, booksubjectnaturalhistory
