A Citizen of eastern North America, roving further north than most Woodpeckers and wintering as far south as Central America. A useful bird in wild places, but unwelcome in gardens and orchards, and not a good neighbor. A member only of the guild of Tree Trappers. "I wonder if I shall see the little Downy," said Dodo, as she skipped down the road to the woods between her uncle and Nat. "Don't hop so," said Nat; "it doesn't do at all when you are bird-hunting. Rap says you must go quietly, and not swing your arms either, for it frightens birds more than even a scarecrow." "It is very hard to keep still when you are bursting with hurry to get somewhere," answered Dodo very meekly, but not wholly able to resist an occasional jump. "I'll show you the way," said Nat. "The little Downy's tree was beside the footpath on top of the river bank. But the bird has gone!" The Flicker Length twelve inches. Upper parts brown barred with black; the rump snow-white; the head gray with a scarlet band on the back of it. Under parts crowded with round black spots; a large black patch on the breast; throat lilac; the male with a pair of black moustaches, which, of course, the female does not have. Under side of wings and tail almost all golden-yellow, even the shafts of the feathers being of this rich color. A Citizen of eastern North America, west sometimes to the Pacific Ocean. Spends the winter in the southern half of his range. This Woodpecker is not only a beautiful, but a useful, Citizen, doing almost as much work in the guild of Ground Gleaners as the Meadowlark, besides being a Tree Trapper and Seed Sower. CHAPTER XXIV TWO ODD FELLOWS "KUK--kuk--kuk! Crcok--c-r-o-c-k--c-r-o-c-k!" cried a harsh voice from the wood edge. "Tr-r-r-at-tat-tat!" rattled another bird from over the river bank. "Those must both be Woodpeckers," said the children; "for both noises are like hammering." "Yes," continued Nat, "and I see the one who made the rattle. It is a Woodpecker with a very big head and bob tail, and sort of gray with black straps in front. See, uncle! He is on a branch of that dead tree, right over the river--there, he has fallen off into the water!" The Doctor smiled as he said: "Here is another case of mistaken identity--very much like Dodo with her rare Meadowlark! This bird is a Kingfisher, who did not fall into the water, but dived in after the fish for which he sat watching." "So some wood birds eat fish, as well as the Osprey that we saw at the beach; but how do they chew them, Uncle Roy?" "They do not chew them. If the fish is not too large, they swallow it whole, and very funny faces they make sometimes in doing so. If it is too large, they beat it against a branch and tear it before eating. As they live on fish, they make their home near water, and only travel south when the rivers freeze." "Do they build nests in trees?" asked Dodo.