“VOOIH’l'lt'Kl‘lRS. 227 
     
     the sides ltluish gray-sin immature speeimens tinged with rutimsrlower 
     
     breast and lu-lly white. .11]. 5*. Similar to the male, but the sides and :1 
     
     band on the lwlly rut'uus. 1... 131*." \\'.. 0-17; 'l‘,. 3-1111; I;” too. 
     
    

    
     breeds from Florida to Labrador, and winters 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     [film/e. rNorth .‘lllcl‘icl 
     
     from Virginia to South Anteriea. 
     
    

    
     \\'as|iinuton, eommon 1’. 1:. Sin;r Sing. eommon S, lx’., .\pl.1 to Nov. 23; 
     
     ‘asual in winter. (fatnhridge, eoninion S. 1L, Apl. 101mm. 
     
    

    
     .\}s/. in a hole in a bilill(,t|1tttut six feet from the entrauee. [if/ya, tive 
     
     to eight, white, 1’34 x 1'05. 
     
    

    
     The shores of wooded streams or ponds are the ehosen haunts of 
     
     the Kingfisher. Silently he pert-hes on some limb overhanging the 
     
     water. ever on the alert for food or foe. Paddle toward him as quietly 
     
     as you please, just as you reaeh his danger line he drops from his 
     
     perch and with loud, 'attling eall flies on ahead. This may he re« 
     
     peated several times, until finally the limits of his wanderings are 
     
     reached, when he makes a wide detour and returns to the starting point. 
     
    

    
     The Kingfisher hunts after the manner of the Fish Hawk. In 
     
     passing over the water it needs only the glint of a shining tin or seale 
     
     just beneath the surface to eateh his watchful eye. Un quickly mov— 
     
     ing wings he hm'ers over the place, waiting,r only a fair ehanee to 
     
     plunge on the uususpeetiug fish below. Emerging,r from the water 
     
     with his prey in his hill. he shakes the spray from his plumage, and, 
     
     with an exultant rattle. flies away to some favorite perell. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ORDER PICI. WOODPECKERS, WRYNECKS, ETC. 
     
    
   
   
    
     FAMILY PIcnma. VVOODPECKERS. _ 
     
    
   
   
    
     Woodpecker-s are found in all the wooded parts of the world ex- 
     
     cept Australia and Madagascar. About tliree hundred and fifty 
     
     species are known. of whieh nearly one half are eonfined to the 
     
     New \Vorld. Some twenty-five of this number are found in North 
     
     Ameriea. Woodpeckers are ‘ather solitary birds. but are sometimes 
     
     found assoeiated in scattered companies duringr their migrations. 
     
     Almve all other birds the.r are especially adapted to ('I‘Ot'p or eliml). 
     
     The peeuliar strueture of the foot, with its two toes directed for— 
     
     ward and two 1)2t(‘l\'\\'tll'(1 (exeept in one genus). assists them in cling- 
     
     ing to an upright. surfaee. while the, pointed. stitTened tail—feathers 
     
     serve as a prop when the llil‘ti is resting. The stout. chisel—like hill is 
     
     used to eut away wood and expose the hidingr plaees of grulis. ete.. 
     
     when the lung. distensihle tongue Will] its horny, spearlike tip is 
     
     thrust in. the. food impaled and drawn out. The \‘oeal powers of 
     
     “'oodpeekers are limited. and the hill is also used to beat the long, 
     
     rolling eall which is their love-song. The eggs of VVoodpeckers are